To Where the Sun Rises
by mocha11
Summary: In the world of Solis, Chizuru lives an ordinary life. However, after her home burns down and her father is nowhere to be found, she gets caught up in the pursue of a mysterious group of murderers who wear black robes and white masks, who at the same time are after her. Amidst the chaos, will she find her father? Or will she discover something darker instead? More details inside.
1. Prologue

**To those of you who are familiar with my other story, this is a new project that's unrelated to my previous story (Don't worry, I'm still working on writing ****_Hakuouki: The Will to Live_****). I want to write something that's strongly my own as well as being an original story despite the ****_Hakuouki_**** characters that you will read about. That aside, this is a story about the ****_Hakuouki_**** characters in a different setting that I have created. This story will feature traditional Japanese elements in which you have seen within the anime and/or game, as well as some of the supernatural aspects. I won't spoil much here, but the prologue should fill you in on the roots for this story. I'm so excited to share my idea with all of you lovely readers, and I hope you enjoy!**

**NOTE: I do not own ****_Hakuouki_****, or any of its precious characters. The plot of this story; however, is mine. If there are any OCs in the future (I doubt it, but if there are any, they won't play a huge role), I will also claim ownership.**

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Prologue

No living creature was certain about when exactly the world was created or how it came to be. Since the indefinite beginning, the Unknown, a divine entity responsible for creating the world of Solis, created two kinds of beings: humans and the oni.

Humans were told to have been created from the earth of Solis, and brought to life by the Unknown's breath. Legends describe oni as being born with the moon's terrain, and their incredible powers were derived from the Unknown with the ingredient of the sun's majestic rays. The Unknown created both humans and oni as free beings. After granting his gifts to his new creations, the Unknown disappeared without a trace.

Without a god to guide them, humans and oni developed resentment for each other that was born from jealously. Each was envious of another's talent, despite the Unknown's gifts being of equal value. Both species were powerful, so powerful that they craved for more. Their greed intermingled with each other like day and night. Eventually, wars erupted between the two, creating the Age of Darkness.

Humans fought for the name of the Unknown, while oni fought to maintain their existence. After centuries of war, the humans stood at the top victoriously. The oni took heavy loses, and they were barely able to manage what was left of them. However, humans forced them into persecution; claiming that the oni were against the Unknown and spawned curses that threatened humanity. Humans drove the oni into what was believed as oblivion. But not all was lost for the oni race.

Since the end of the war, a few select oni clans survived and lived in secrecy while others masked their blood with high statuses in human social affairs. As for the humans, they constructed their own governments and ways of life that all revolved around the mysterious Unknown. Four kingdoms were developed: the North, South, East, and West. Most of these kingdoms thrive in what was known as the Golden Age, or the Age of Light.

Despite the prosperity within Solis, the East was set aflame until there was nothing but ash when the existence of oni was rumored to have had prevailed. Besides the dark events in the East, humans have lived in peace while respecting and worshiping their Maker. But a group of unknown murderers who wear black robes as dark as night and white, deceiving masks threaten to bring about the end of the Age of Light...

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**A short prologue, but you'll discover in further chapters how it relates to the story. I hope you enjoyed reading this backstory that I've created! Please review and tell me what you guys thought, I would really appreciate it! Chapter 1 will be posted shortly so you guys can get a better glimpse of what this story will be like!**


	2. Chapter 1: The Arrival

**This chapter will be longer compared to the prologue. Let me explain things that the summary can't cover. This story is about Chizuru and what she goes through in this domain that I've created. The whole story (except for the Prologue) will be in First Person, so Chizuru will be the narrator. This is a work in progress, so the only thing I'll change (if I change anything) are grammatical errors and poor word usage, the story content will remain the same. Anything that's italicized are the protagonist's thoughts. Anyway, I won't spoil anything else, so... Enjoy!**

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Chapter 1: The Arrival

_Pork or Beef...,_ I wonder as I carefully examine the small packages of meat on display.

It has finally been two weeks since my father went on his business trip to the West, and he's coming home any time today. I had to go shopping for groceries today, so I decided that I might as well prepare a special dinner in honor of my father's arrival.

One of my father's favorite meals to eat is usually anything with red meat, though he only likes eating that kind of meat on special occasions because red meat is fattier than most other types of meat. As a doctor, he would recommend everyone to eat fish or poultry while regulating the amount of red meat they could take in. But I feel like today is special enough for the both of us. Never before had I been home alone for so long. He's the only family I have, and we only have our farm animals for neighbors; so in the end, I've been alone this whole time. But he's finally coming home, and I couldn't be happier. A smile grows on my face while I'm filled with excitement.

"...I'll have one small leg of ham, please", I finally tell the butcher standing behind the wooden counter.

"Please wait here for a moment", the butcher then disappears into a back room. Alone in the store, my eyes naturally glance around at my surroundings. The butchery is a simple store with nothing extravagant inside. My gaze shifts to the window, and I spot Chibi tied to a post, waiting for my return.

"Here you go...", the butcher breaks my attention away from my horse and hands me a carefully wrapped package of meat. I pull out some coins and hand them to him. This time, I finally notice what he's wearing, and my eyes widen in shock. His dirty white apron is almost completely covered with splats of noticeable red blood. All of the sudden, I feel like my stomach is rising up to my throat. I quickly bow my head in gratitude and walk out from the store in haste.

I let out a sigh of relief when I finally reach Chibi. A feeling of nausea washes through me slowly, and I desperately try to focus on my horse, in hopes that I can erase those memories of that bloodstained apron. I know it's silly to get petrified over such a thing; after all, I was at a butchery with a slaughter house. But to see the crimson liquid standing out from the white fabric...that was haunting and gory enough for me.

Chibi nudges my shoulder with his pink nose, pulling me back to reality.

"...Okay, let's go home", I talk lightheartedly while patting the dappled grey horse's neck. I then stuff the meat package into the saddle bag and untie the reins from the post. Luckily, I'm wearing a men's hakama, so it's easy for me to climb onto my saddle. I generally wear my kimono on an everyday basis, but since I'm traveling on horseback, it's much easier to travel with men's clothing.

Ridding through the market square wasn't difficult since I all ready know my way around town. As I pass streets on Chibi, some townspeople that recognize me give me strange looks. It's probably because I look like a man, or at least a boy because I still have a childlike face despite my seventeen years of age. I would have normally traveled by foot with my normal clothing, but my house resides far within the backcountry forest, and I'm all ready running out of time. It's well past noon, and if I don't hurry, I fear what possible dangers the night might bring.

The South is usually a peaceful place, the only criminals to worry about are thieves. But recently, there have been cases of mysterious murders. I don't know a lot about these murders, since the officials want to keep some information hidden from the public. However, rumor has it that all of the victims were killed by the same person, and their lives were taken at night.

I command Chibi to progress into a canter once I make it out of town. I'm not taking my chances to wander around in the dark. Thankfully the sun's still out, and I can see efficiently through the path that leads me home. Trees surround me everywhere I look. The scenery is beautiful. The lush green forest is relaxing, and the occasional sakura tree stands out magnificently among the emerald sea. I would've taken more time to admire my surroundings, but I have a dire need to go home.

Just as the sun is about to set, I finally catch a glimpse of my house in the middle of a clearing. Relief settles my nerves as I dismount Chibi and grab the reins to lead him inside the barn that's only a few yards away from the house. Once I open the barn's doors, I'm greeted by a small menagerie of chickens and the dairy cow. While the hens cluck in my direction, I lead Chibi into his stall. Afterwards, I remove all of his tack and give him a good brushing. Suddenly, I remember that the meat package is still inside the saddle bag, and I quickly retrieve it before I can forget about it.

I can see the sun setting at the horizon from one of the windows, so I blow out the lanterns except for mine.

"Goodnight", I bid the animals farewell, then I leave the barn.

After I enter my house, I quickly slip off my sandals and get to work on turning on most of the lanterns. Without light, my home gets eerily dark, so I rush with a new match to every room. So far, there hasn't been any sign of my father ever arriving. I don't want to worry, but the sun has all ready gone down, and my father did promise me that he would be home today. I let out a deep sigh to try to calm myself. Instead of waiting around for Father and doing nothing, I distract myself by starting to cook the ham that I brought home.

I put on tasuki cords to pull my sleeves back, and I make sure that my workspace is clean. After a short while, the kitchen is filled with the scent of sweet pork, making me more than excited to see Father so we can share this delicious meal. I put the cover over the pot with the cooked ham, and I reach for a knife to start cutting some vegetables. After chopping through celery and turnips, I casually glance over at the window. It's completely dark out, and the full moon's light is blocked by shadowy clouds.

My eyes begin to peel back to the vegetables, but something outside catches my attention. A strange figure, cloaked in the night's darkness, stands alone. I can't make out a face. It's impossible. The identity is covered by a ghoulish white mask.

Before I can confirm what it is that I'm looking at, my head throbs painfully, and my vision blurs considerably. The world around me starts to spin, and I almost lose my balance. I force myself to steady as best as I can, leaning heavily on the kitchen counter. For some strange reason, I feel like I'm about to vomit. My gaze flashes back up to the window to spot the mysterious being.

Nothing's there.

_I'm probably just imagining things...,_ I try to convince myself mentally.

_Maybe I'm getting sick._

That must be it. I decide to retreat to my room and rest. If Father returns while I'm sleeping, he'd understand that I'm not feeling well to greet him. My head continues to pound, so I lean on the walls as I attempt to go to my room. Once there, I slide open the door, and my body immediately collapses on top of my futon. I desperately pull the covers over my body as I feel my body shivering in defense from an unrecognizable cold atmosphere. Quickly, as if entrapped by a spell, I fall into a deep sleep...

...I wake up to the strange cackling of wood. My eyes flutter open, but I can't exactly make out my surroundings. I try to breathe, and I expect nothing to happen, but when I inhale, I end up coughing back ashy smoke. Suddenly, instinct kicks in, and I jump out of bed with lightning speed. Now fully alert, I now understand that my home is being burned to the ground.

I run out of my room, and I notice the searing flames reach from the bottom of the floor to the ceiling. Fear makes my heart race, but for a brief moment, I'm paralyzed. A burning beam crashes only a few feet in front of me, sending bright red sparks all around, and I scream loudly in response, but my heart sinks with despair when I realize that no one can help me. My exist through the main hall is now blocked. I have to find another way out on my own. Fast.

A hidden part of me that craves to survive takes the reins and leads me toward the other end of the complex. I feel suffocated, and the only thing I breathe in is dry smoke. My nose plugs, and I feel tears somewhat involuntarily leak out from my eyes.

I'm still not safe when I reach the opposite end of the house. Like the devil's arms, scorching flames chase me wherever I go. Right when I'm about lost of all hope, I find a door that can lead me outside. With speed that I didn't know existed, I sprint toward the Godsend exist while hot flames catch the edge of my hakama.

Once outside, I pat down the small fire that had formed on my hakama. I made it out of my house alive, but my moment of comfort and relieve is brief. With sounds that I've never heard before in my entire life, I hear cries coming from the barn. That, too, is on fire, and with animals still locked inside.

Anyone else would've have ran toward a safe haven, but I summon what little courage I have left to run toward the barn.

The front door isn't burning yet, so I barge through it with all the might I have. Inside, I quickly remove the lock to the chicken coop, and wild hens dart out toward the exist before their tail feathers catch on fire. I still have to free the cow and Chibi, but neither of them won't move due to fright. I find an empty sac of potatoes and drench it in a nearby bucket of water. I rush to put the wet sack over the cow's eyes, blocking her vision. By blocking the cow's vision, she's forced to let me lead her outside. I try to be patient with her, but the fire is consuming the whole building rapidly. Once I get past the doors, I remove the wet sack and run back inside to find Chibi.

Now the fire has seeped through the walls, and the roof looks like it's about to crash to the ground. I sprint while trying to avoid flames at the same time, but it's hard to see past clouds of black smoke. Chibi's desperate screams for help are the only guides I have. After fumbling in the dark, I successfully reach his stall, now I have to worry about calming him down so that the two of us can get out alive.

The panicked horse is rearing, and his eyes are insanely wide with terror. I can't approach him too quickly or else I risk getting knocked out by one of his powerful hooves.

"Chibi! Chibi! It's me!", I try to speak over the roaring flames. It seems that the sound of my voice has calmed Chibi down for a moment, I take advantage of his brief tranquility to wrap the sack over his eyes. Now trusting to me, Chibi slowly but surely follows me where I direct him to go. I try to speak calmly to encourage Chibi to keep moving, but God's name desperately hangs on the edge of my tongue like a thin thread. We're almost to the exist, but suddenly a beam, along with several roof panels, crashes behind Chibi. Instantly, he goes haywire, and I lose my control over him. Chibi rears again, discarding the sack, and ultimately, I have to keep my distance to avoid getting hurt.

"It's okay! You're fine!", I try to coax Chibi, including myself. But Chibi is too panicked to listen to me, and I'm quickly running out of options. My head turns in every direction to find anything as remotely close to a lifesaver. The barn is practically glowing with all sorts of hot reds and yellows, and the once simple oak wood now serves as burning coal to the fire. My eyes land on an almost disheveled broom, and instantly, an idea pops into my head. I hold my breath to spare any sweet oxygen I have left in my lungs, and I dash to the broom. I come back with the broom in my hand to where Chibi is, and I approach him from behind. I'm out of his range of view, as well as any danger from his heavy hooves. I hold the broom by the edge of the broomstick, and with all the strength I have left, I swing the other end of the broom toward Chibi's rump. Spooked, the horse kicks with his haunches and gallops for the exist.

I was able to save Chibi, now I just have to save myself again. Every second that goes by, a chunk of the roof falls down, limiting my options of escape routes. The door frame to the exist is now flaring, just like all of the other windows. I'm trapped. If there's a way I can get out alive, it's definitely not leaving me unscathed from any physical harm. But time and roaring flames are my enemy, and I can't escape without any kind of confrontation.

Adrenaline possesses my body, and I see myself running for the burning exist. In a split second I use my arms to cover part of my face and chest as I attempt to leap over the flames. Instantly, I feel a searing sting on my feet and arms, but I land roughly on my knees as I tumble on the dry dirt outside.

Part of my body is screaming in pain, while the other portion focuses on regulating my breathing. My throat has closed up immensely, which leaves me gasping for fresh air. My toes feel like they're about to fall off, and the rest of my burnt body is literally peeling apart. I would've screamed in agony, but I don't have enough air in my lungs. The only things I can manage are labored gasps and groans.

I'm hurt, but I'm alive and away from the flames. However, I'm not sure how long I can survive. Right now, I want nothing more than to drown in a sea of cold water. Behind me, I can hear the last pillars of the barn collapse to the ground, and the earth rumbles underneath me. I try to move away from the remaining flames, but I only manage to move several yards away from the chaos. I land on the ground roughly once again, and I notice that my knees are bleeding, staining the remains of my white hakama. It's not just my knees that are bleeding...

Tears seep out of my eyes like a never-ending storm. _If no one finds me soon, I'll die. _That thought echoes throughout my brain like curse. The fact of the matter is that my chances of living are very slim. I'm too burnt and crippled to walk to salvation. The nearest person is miles away, and my father isn't here yet. Loneliness and despair shackle my heart.

I shift to my side to see the severity of the fire. Both my house and the barn are completely burnt to the ground; however, the fire continues to rage on like hellfire. The dark cobalt sky has been saturated into a heavy black from all of the smoke. My eyes scan the rest of the clearing, and I notice that I'm the only soul within the area. All of the animals, including Chibi, must have turned to their instincts and fled. I'm completely and utterly alone.

There's no hope for me. With no one to help me or at least try, I'm going to die. Fear paralyzes the rest of my body that was able to move. _I don't want to die. I don't want to die yet. _My thoughts are meaningless now, without a doubt, death is my only end. Only a miracle from the mighty Unknown himself could save me, and even that's a long-shot.

I close my eyes to escape from the hell around me. I couldn't even see my father for one last time. I'll die young without even discovering my dreams. My thoughts turn into prayers. _Please God, teach me how to die. Please let it all end now..._

...I'm still alive. _But how...?_

My eyes flash open and I sit up to examine my wounds. I immediately think that sitting up rapidly will have a painful toll on me, but there's no sense of pang throughout my body. Confused, I quickly move to examine my arms, and I stare at them in disbelief. My arms are as soft and pale as a newborn child's without a single trace of the damage they took. Then I'm hasty to check the rest body. I'm not burnt to a crisp as I was only a moment ago. _How on Earth...? _The only signs of the wounds and burns that I had are the stains of blood and black ash on my clothes. Before I can begin to wonder what just happened to me, I'm filled with the most amazing sensations of relief and joy. For whatever reason, my eyes trail back to the still burning fire. Even though there isn't anything left to be burned, the fire won't die down.

Something's wrong. I can't explain how, but I know that something isn't right.

Suddenly, my eyes lock onto a black object that's standing straight in the middle of the fire. It's not rubble, if it were, gravity and the flames would've brought it down. My vision focuses on the black shape, and I confirm to myself that it isn't an object that I'm looking at. It's a person. With my keen vision, I notice that the flames are touching the person, but they're not burning the mysterious being. In fact, the person isn't in any kind of danger. I feel my eyes widen in shock and awe. My eyes blink to make sure that my mind isn't playing tricks against me.

I know I'm not dreaming or hallucinating. What I'm seeing is real, and it's definitely abnormal. I don't know what to make of this until my eyes focus on person's face.

Hidden behind a perfect, but wretched white mask, the person's face is unidentifiable. My moment of relief and security is over. My heart races, and I can feel colors draining from my face. Just when I had thought that I was going to die, my life is once again at stake. Only this time, I'm afraid I won't be so lucky...

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**So? Did you enjoy this chapter? I hope you guys had a fun time reading through this! If there are any errors, I'll make sure to go back and fix this chapter. Please leave a review, I would really appreciate it and I take into account every word that you write. Overall, I had a fun time writing this chapter, and I hope to do it again in the future with this story. Familiar faces will begin to appear in the next chapter, so stay tuned! As always, have an awesome day!**


	3. Chapter 2: The Ambiguous Savior

**Hope you guys have enjoyed what I've written so far. One thing I forgot to mention was that the rating is T for violence, strong language, and suggestive themes. As always, enjoy!**

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Chapter 2: The Ambiguous Savior

I sit as still as a statue while I gape at the figure in front of me.

_This can't be happening!_ ...But it_ is_ happening. I soon realize that I'm almost to the point of hyperventilating, so I try to control my breathing, and I attempt to conduct a mental procedure that my father recommends his patients recovering from memory loss to do. _Start with the simple, and out with the more complicated things_...

_My name is Yukimura Chizuru._

_I'm seventeen years old._

_I live alone with my father, who was visiting other patients in the West, but he isn't here right now when he's supposed to be._

_My house and the barn have burned down -or are still burning-, but I survived._

_But now, a masked figure, who could only mean trouble, is most likely going to kill me._

The last thought sends a cold, unnerving shiver down my spine.

I've only heard rumors about them; a group of individuals who wear black robes and the palest of white masks. From what I've heard, these "rogues" defy the Unknown's teachings and terrorize anyone who stand in their way. Of course, hardly anyone believes these stories, and the public just regards these rumors as a tall tale. But even if the rumors weren't true, they still spread from town to town, and it wasn't hard for me to figure out why.

The Age of Light; the world's longest era of prosperity. People worshiped this current time, and of course, thanked and exalted the Unknown for this blessing. Based off from ancient scriptures, Solis had gone through an Age of Darkness, the raw age of war. It was a time that "is not supposed to be repeated", as many preachers have said. History from that time was perhaps purposefully kept vague, but from what I've learned, the Age of Darkness was the title to a war between humans and creatures known as "oni".

The typical description of an oni has always been monstrous, but it seemed more mythical, if anything. But that was ages ago, and now historians have claimed that the Age of Darkness was essentially a war amongst men, and that the term "oni" was an exaggeration. Though I hardly understood that part of history, no one seemed to have dwelled in the past. People are now focused on maintaining the peace throughout this Age of Light. So much so, that a simple rumor about misguided rogues can become a potential threat.

I've never thought twice about these "fanatics". I used to doubt that a group who wanted to end the Age of Light couldn't possibly exist, but alas, I was wrong. The proof is standing directly in front of me, confirming this rumor to be true. Whether the masked entity condones heresy or not, that doesn't change the fact that my current predicament is a less than favorable one.

Whatever scream or gasp that I try to vocalize becomes trapped within my throat. My body turns cold, and I can feel sweat rolling down my face.

_Move! I have to move!_ But my body is consumed by terror, so it doesn't comply with my mind. The masked person then starts to step toward me, away from the burning flames from my home. My heartbeat is so fast that I start to fear that it might just give out.

I bite my lip as hard as I can, and afterwards, my mouth is stinging, but the pain jolts my muscles awake. I tremble uncontrollably, but I do my best to crawl away from the mysterious being. But my escape plan must seem like child's play to my pursuer, and he -or she- continues to stalk me like a predatory carnivore. The masked person suddenly stops and now stands at about four steps away from me. The fanatic does nothing but watch as a crawl away at a very pitiful rate. At a closer distance, I can notice more details about this person that I didn't notice before.

The black robe that the person is wearing also has a hood, which looms eerily over his -or her- head. I try to note everything about this mysterious criminal, but my gaze can't drift away from the horrifying white mask that stands out in the dark environment. It's a simple one, but yet it still manages to look grim. The mask's features don't form any specific identity or character. The face is emotionless and without a soul. The only other detail that makes the mask unique are two horns that protrude from the forehead.

I plan to continue crawling away, but by looking at the mask, I'm suddenly halted. I can't explain -nor exactly understand- how, but a familiar sensation of nausea engulfs my entire body. I feel like I'm about to puke my guts out, and I can feel myself getting paler. I recognize this strange and abrupt feeling of sickness. I had experienced it when I had seen the white mask for the first time, which had also been the moment before my house had caught on fire.

Throughout the time that I feel ill, the masked person just stands in place. _Is he -or she- going to kill me? Maybe I'll get tortured instead... _A whimper is the only thing I can vocalize. Somehow, my reaction triggers a response from the masked person.

"...Good. ...I want to hear you more"

The voice was soft, and if given the proper script, it could have sounded nice. But given my current situation, it does little to calm my nerves. Even after hearing the person's voice, I still can't tell if he -or she- is a man or woman, but I don't think that really matters anymore. Nonetheless, I work up the small amount of courage that I have left to clear my throat.

"...What do you want?", my voice almost cracks.

"...All will be revealed in due time...", the masked person avoids my question. That's it. I can't sit around here waiting for something to happen. If I'm going to die either way, I won't go down without making an attempt to save myself. I force myself to throw up since it wasn't that hard to summon that ability now. Instantly, I take advantage of my light weight, and I sprint as fast as I can toward the forest. Despite being sick a moment ago, I feel rejuvenated with adrenaline surging through my veins. I expect to hear chasing footsteps behind me, but I don't hear anything except for myself. _He's -or she's- not going after me? _It seems that way, but I don't dare to look back to check. My only focus is to run.

I lose track of time, but it feels like I'd been running for miles. I do feel exhausted, but I still don't take any chances of slowing my pace down. The masked man isn't chasing me, and I've put a good amount of distance between me and my house, but the forest doesn't provide me with any kind of security. Beautiful throughout the day, the woods become a dark and eerie maze at night. Black tree branches resemble long and slender arms that are outstretched to trap their victims, and everything is silent, which makes me think that there's something lurking within the shadows. To make things worse, I can scarcely see where I'm going. But I don't care where I end up, just as long as I'm away from that masked person, I wouldn't mind running all the way to another country.

My lungs feel like they're being squeezed, depriving me from much needed air. My nose stings, and I can scarcely feel my feet. I want to keep running, but my options suddenly become limited when I come to a dead end. A tall cliff blocks my path, and the rock's edges don't look safe to climb. I can't get through. _There must be another way... _I start to turn back to where I came from, but something else stops me.

"He he... He he ha ha ha!", a raspy and nefarious laugh echoes throughout the forest and startles me.

My gut reaction causes me to throw my hands up to my mouth to cover a scream. Immediately, my head turns in all directions to find the source of the lunatic laughter. I don't see anyone -_or anything_-, but I can hear the distant laughter coming closer to my direction. It's too late for me to run the other way, and I start to frantically search for a hiding spot. The dark clouds above shift briefly to let the moon's light cast down slightly, and I quickly notice a small dark opening on the cliff. It's the perfect place to hide. It's a little high up from the ground, but it's perfect because no one will think to look there.

I run up to the cliff's wall and do my best to climb. It's not an easy climb, but the cave isn't that far up to reach. I almost slip, but I manage to hang onto some edges, and soon, I scurry inside the cave. It's not really a cave, since it's so narrow, but I squeeze my way in as deep as I can so I'm out of sight. In only minutes after I've settled into my hiding spot, the laugh reemerges, only this time, I know that the person is standing right in front of the cliff. I cover my mouth to silence my breathing, but the rest of my senses become alive as I pay attention to every detail that happens next.

From my position, I can still hear heavy and gruff breathing. Whatever is out there, it sounds parched. The laughing settles down into giggles that still prove to sound insane. I hear a different pitch, and I conclude that there's probably two people standing outside. I don't think about leaving from my spot. The strangers outside may not be with the masked person from before, but from what I hear outside, I don't feel like I can trust the people below.

After several minutes, everything becomes silent again. _Have they left?_ I slowly work my way to the cave's entrance to peak, but in the process, my hand gets cut by a sharp edge. I stifle a pained gasp, and my hand quickly becomes hot and swollen, and I can feel warm blood sliding in between my fingers. Still, I decide to go outside to inspect my wound properly. In the next second that I reach the cave's entrance, I hear a horrible screech.

"Blood! BLOOOOD!"

Before I can retreat back inside, or even scream, I see them. Two figures cloaked with black robes and white masks make it obvious that they see me as they run toward me with inhuman speed. I don't even have time to react, then I suddenly find myself being pulled harshly by one masked person. I scream as loud as I can, and I try to free myself, but the person's grip on me is tighter than an iron lock. My wrist that's being pulled fiercely will definitely have bruises.

"Blood! Give me your blood!", the masked man in front of me wails excitedly.

"No! Let me go!", I scream, but my plea falls on deaf ears. The masked man then shoves me off the cliff, and my body lands almost severely on the ground. I can feel some of my bones from my rib cage crunching together. Still, a few broken ribs won't kill me, but I know instinctively that these _things_ can. My eyes quickly slide to the masked man that threw me off the cliff, and I find myself left speechless. On his hands and knees, the figure's face glues onto the rock wall where my blood was shed. His mask is off, but I can't see his face because he still has a dark hood over his head.

"Blood! Oh Blood!", he licks the rock wall clean as if the last drops of water in the world were about to dry off. Even if I can't see his face, I see something else that still manages to disturb me. Glowing red eyes shine in the darkness as they stare down at the bloody rock with animalistic lust. The sight can be described with many dreadful words, but the one that pops out in my head the most is "inhuman". _These things... They may look human, but they're not!_ Before I can analyze the man -or beast- any further, the other masked man approaches me like a coiled snake.

"I need your blood... He he he", this masked person's voice is full of madness just like his companion's. I start to think that they're both with the mysterious masked person from earlier, but the design of their masks are almost misleading, and I question whether or not they're all from the same allegiance. I now see the detail of the mask in front of me. Yes, it's still white, but the face is near-completely different. This mask is more monstrous; in fact, it resembles a mural of an oni. The face of an oni, that's what it is. I've seen these types of masks before at festivals in which townspeople wear them for fun. The mask that I'm looking at in particular has an evil, or sinister, expression. It has furrowing brows, flaring red eyes, baring teeth that are long and possibly sharp, and pointed ears. Compared to the other unidentifiable mask, I still can't tell which one is more frightening. The only other trait that both masks share are two horns that stick out from the forehead.

My attention then shifts to a bright white line that appears out of the masked man's scabbard, and I immediately recognize it as a sword. _That's the sword that's going to kill me_, I think sadly.

"I want your blood...", the masked man tells me hoarsely.

"...P-Please... Stop", I meant to scream, but even my voice has become weak with fear. The masked man holds his sword high in the air, ready to take away my life, and it seems that he didn't listen to a word I said. The sword looks intimidating under the moonlight, and I feel like a small mouse gazing up at it. I try to shuffle my way out, but my body is too sore from my crash to move.

"GIVE ME BLOOD!", the masked man hollers.

"NO!", a scream is my only defense, and I quickly shut eyes so I don't see how I die. Then, I hear blood splattering around me and some lands on my face. Yet I don't feel any pain. _Am I really dead all ready? _

...My eyes open, and I notice that it's not my flesh that's been pierced. In front of me, I see a sharp metallic edge of a sword at the center of the masked man's heart. The figure wails loudly in pain, but soon enough, the creature falls silent, and I see the edge of the other blade slip out with a soft hiss. The masked man was most likely dead before he had even hit the ground. Acid begins to climb up my throat after seeing a man get killed right in front of me for the first time. Before I can figure out whose blade just killed the monster, the unmasked man snaps his body around from the cliff, and holds his sword high toward me.

"I NEED MORE BLOOD!", he yells savagely, and before I can scream, I see a white line stretch across the chest of the fanatic. The unmasked man staggers, and a pool of blood starts to expand underneath him. _What...just happened?_ I still can't process everything well enough in my brain. Before I can answer any of my own questions, my eyes dart to the tall standing man next to the corpses. I can't really see his face well enough since his back is facing me, and it's hard to see past the darkness. Unlike the other men, this man seems...normal, or at least, he's not one of those rogues. He isn't wearing any kind of black robes, and the sword in his hand is covered with the masked men's blood.

_...Did he just save me? _My body almost feels light when I begin to feel relieved, but the stranger's words put me back on edge.

"My, my. That wasn't any fun... Too bad, I was hoping I'd get more challenging opponents to kill", the stranger talks to himself.

_Did I just hear him right?_ The man's voice was lighthearted and definitely not fitting with the words he just used. It almost sounded like he was talking about something as simple as spilling a cup of tea. But he easily threw out the word "kill" as if he had been having a casual conversation about food. But the current moment was a whole ocean away from being casual. This new stranger just killed those other two men without any sort of compunction. I wonder how many times this man has killed before. Almost regrettably, I start to wonder who should I be more afraid of: the masked men with an obsession with blood, or the man that doesn't know the value of a soul. I almost laugh sadly when I suddenly remember the butcher's bloody apron from earlier this afternoon. How ironic, to think that I used to get scared over a bloody piece fabric, but now I realize that there are much worse things...

"You must not have any kind of luck today, huh?", the man's happy voice pulls me out of my thoughts. The clouds drift again, which provide a spotlight for the stranger in front of me, who's now facing me. I'm not sure about what I'm expecting to see, but I'm definitely surprised by what I see in front of me.

A friendly, wolfish grin forms on the man's face. Even under the dim moonlight, I can still tell that this stranger has short brown hair that reminds me of the color of a tree's trunk. The dark aura of the forest can't mask the man's handsome features, which only proves that the Unknown spent more deliberate time creating him. Not only did he spend deliberate time making the stranger handsome, he made him the object of perfection. But what intrigues me the most about this man are his eyes. I'm not so far away from him, but I notice that his eyes shine like emerald's under the moon's silver light. Green isn't an uncommon eye color, but never before had I seen a shade of green that's so..._mesmerizing_.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?", the stranger pulls me out of my thoughts again while snorting a short laugh.

"...Um"

I don't know what to say. Better yet, I don't know what to think. Now that he mentioned the word "cat", I immediately realize the feline look to his face. His wry smile and keen green eyes reminded me of a curious cat. But somehow, the appearance works for him, and in a way, a part of his personality can be reflected._ How could a man look so beautiful and at the same time kill like he was taking a nice stroll through town?_ I couldn't put two and two together. I expected him to look more...rough, or even as scary as the masked men. _But he did save my life... _Whether he was a cynical killer or not, he killed the men -or beasts- that were in no way good. _Maybe he's not that bad of a person..._

"Don't worry. I won't kill you, so long as you don't give me a reason to", it was like he had known what I'd been thinking. His message made me relax a little, but I can't help myself from thinking that if I give him the slightest reason for him to turn on me, he would show no hesitation or mercy with his blade.

The stranger then pulls out a thin piece of paper from his shirt to wipe his sword clean, and I take that moment to study him more.

He's wearing a different style of clothes that's foreign to the South. He has on a slim pair of black pants and a button down shirt that matches in color. Simple, but durable leather boots cover his feet. Red arm protectors outline his strong forearms perfectly, and a sleeveless golden-yellow coat is held onto him by a white sash, which also holds a set of swords to his side. _He's must be from the West_, I take a mental note. _If that's the case, then what business does a western man have here in the South? _I feel stupid for wondering that. It doesn't matter where the stranger's from, if he hadn't showed up, I would most certainly be dead by now.

The man's eyes slide to mine, and they widen a little when they regard me from head to toe, then they narrow into small slits.

"You idiot. Why didn't you tell me earlier that you're hurt?", he scolds me while sheathing his sword in one swift motion before he makes his way toward me. I almost forgot that I'm bleeding, or _was_, to be more precise. My body still aches from my fall, but my bruises have shrunk, and the cuts I got from my landing are mere scrapes now. Even the cut on my palm is gone, and it was replaced by a thin pink line. I start to think that the man is exaggerating, but then I quickly remember that the damage that my clothes have taken tell more than what they should. Swiftly, I cross my arms over my chest in desperate attempt to hide my healed scars, but the stranger crouches in front of me and reaches for one of them first with a firm hand while still being gentle.

"Ah! Uh...", I gasp out of surprise.

"Relax all ready. I'm just checking to see if you're okay-", his eyes glance down at my arm, which barely shows any evidence of severe wounding. The friendly atmosphere on his face dissipates, and it becomes impossible for me to interpret what he's thinking. His green eyes study my arm so intently, and I begin to worry if I've all ready given him a reason for him to cut me down. He then scans the rest of my body, but his eyes constantly bounce back from my tattered and bloodstained clothes to my unharmed skin.

I can't explain my "condition" accurately, but my healing ability is definitely something that isn't normal. This isn't the first time my body has recovered so quickly. As a child, I would get small scratches and bruises, but within a few days they'd be gone. I told my father about this, and he told me that it was a rare medical condition. He used to call it "A Gift from the Unknown", but he instructed me not to tell anyone about it. As a child, I couldn't care less about my ability. But more recently, my injuries disappear much faster than they would have normally in the past. What once took several days to a week is now minutes to a day. Once I discovered that the speed of my ability had increased, I grew fearful of what others might have started to think. If rumors about masked men cold set the public off, I fear what can happen if suddenly word of a girl who can regenerate quickly got out. So as best as I could, I took the most precaution that I could to not get injured. But tonight, it was impossible to avoid any injuries. And now, I have to come up with an excuse quickly to hide my secret.

I jerk my arm free from the stranger's grasp, and I use what's left of my sleeve to cover it. The stranger's eyes meet mine, and they pierce me with a demanding glare.

"Uh, I'm not that hurt... Those other men just messed up my clothes", I meet the man's gaze directly and hope that he bought my lie. I can almost feel the venom from his eyes when they harden, and he opens his mouth to say something, but another voice interrupts him first.

"Souji!", another man's strong voice calls out from the distance. My head snaps toward the direction of the voice, and soon enough, I hear the pounding of hooves coming closer. In a few seconds, two men on horseback gallop toward me and the stranger with what seemed like frantic speed. One of the men with short black hair and violet eyes instantly looks at the man in front of me.

"Are you okay, Souji?", he asks in a stern tone that makes me question whether or not he's genuinely concerned about the other man's condition.

"You have eyes, don't you? Besides, what makes you think I'd get hurt so easily, Hijikata-san?", the man in front of me snickers. The man named Hijikata lets out an almost inaudible sigh, and his eyes quickly land on the dead corpses. _They're probably comrades, or they work together in some way_, I think when I observe the two new men. Both of them have western clothes and a katana set, and like the stranger that I met first, they're both handsome. _Are all men from the West like that?_

Before anything else happens, Hijikata finds my gaze, and his eyes narrow into a cold hard glare. The stare alone is enough to send shivers down my spine. Instantly, Hijikata maneuvers his horse in front of the corpses to somewhat block my view. I get the feeling that these guys aren't just regular tourists from the West, but rather, they look more like soldiers.

"You. What happened here?", Hijikata shoots the question at me with ice.

"...U-Um...I...", I try to begin talking, but Hijikata's glare is so sharp that my voice begins to shake. The man named Souji chuckles softly next to me.

"Of course the kid won't talk if you use that ugly face of yours", Souji mocks teasingly. I stare at Souji with awe. _How is it that he has the courage to tease Hijikata so easily?_ Even though I don't know Hijikata, I can clearly tell that he must be an intimidating authoritative figure.

"Shut the hell up. I didn't ask for your opinion", Hijikata complains irritably to Souji, but Souji only chuckles triumphantly. The other man approaches Souji on his horse.

"That's enough joking around, Souji. We have more important matters to attend to", the man who has dark hair, that appears to be violet, speaks calmly.

"Eh? You always seem to ruin my fun, Hajime-kun. But fine, I'll cooperate this time", Souji almost pouts before giving a sly smirk, but Hajime just stares at him with cool, emotionless blue eyes. Hajime's eyes then find mine.

"If you have nothing to hide, then you mustn't fear us. But you must understand that this situation is serious, and if we're to assist you, you must cooperate as well", Hajime explains to me calmly, which does help my heartbeat steady.

"Okay...", I agree in a quiet voice. I can feel three pairs of eyes focusing on me, and the men remain silent to hear my response.

"...I live out here in the forest with my father, but he's out of town right now, so I've been home alone", I swallow hard when memories of my burning home flash in my head.

"...Earlier this evening, someone lit my house and barn on fire. I escaped, but-", I catch myself when I was about to explain that I'd seen a masked man, who clearly seemed to be the person responsible for the fire. Would these men believe my story if I tell them the truth? But then again, Souji did just kill two masked men himself.

"I saw one of those masked people near my house, and I ran away in fear", I decide to be honest with them. Besides, as Hajime had hinted, it's better for me to be honest.

"Soon I ended up here, then those men showed up and nearly killed me", I look in the direction behind Hijikata's horse before I continue.

"Then he showed up and...took care of them, then you guys showed up", my eyes shift to Souji's before I had concluded with my story. I refrained from speaking about the masked men's obsession with my blood; besides, Souji must have witnessed their insanity as well, so I feel like I don't have to explain that part.

"...I see", Hijikata looks elsewhere, and he appears to get lost in thought as he furrows his brows. After a brief moment, a stern but composed expression takes form on Hijikata's face.

"Souji, take the kid back to the magistrate office...", he orders, then he meets my gaze while still speaking to Souji.

"...There're still several things we need to get straight", somehow, my heart rises to my throat when I hear him say that.

"But before you go, I need to know where your place is", his violet eyes demanded an answer. It doesn't take me long to explain to him that one must follow the wooded trail that starts from the town's center to get to my house.

"...Saito, take care of things here", Hijikata turns to his blue-eyed comrade, whose full name I figure out to be is Saito Hajime.

"Understood", Saito nods his head and moves his horse next to the corpses to cover the bodies more from my sight. _Do they want to spare me from the wretched view? _No, that's not it. These men hardly know me well enough to care about me that much. Those masked men are supposed to be rumors, and if word got out that the rumors are true, the streets would soon be filled with hysterical people. I'm a witness to that truth, and I know by Hijikata's cold glare that I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut.

"Well, we should get going then", Souji gives me a quick smile and pulls me up to my feet. Whether or not he thinks I'm still injured, he grabs my wrist in a locked grip that doesn't match his friendly smile. As he drags me away from the crime scene, I summon the courage to look back at the dead figures on the ground. Though it's still dark, I can still catch a glimpse of the unmasked man. Even with the hood out of the way, I still don't recognize the face that I see, but I note that face looks human. But then my eyes drift to the man's hair. It's a luminous color of white that shines like silver under the moonlight. It's definitely an odd color, but I don't think much of it until I see the dead man's hair recede into a natural dark color. _What the...?_, I begin to wonder what I'd just seen, but then I feel an unfriendly tug on my wrist.

"Ow...", my eyes land on Souji's.

"Oh? Did I hurt you? My bad", he smiles apologetically, but I can sense the insincerity in his tone. I hang my head low in defeat. I may have escaped death, but that doesn't mean that I'm out of trouble. We soon come across another horse tied to the branch of a fallen tree. Once Souji situates himself on the saddle, he helps me mount the horse, and I end up sitting behind him.

"You can hang onto me as tight as you'd like, just make sure you don't fall off", he gives me a wink, and I can feel my face heating up foolishly with embarrassment.

"...O-Okay", I have no choice but to wrap my arms around his waist. As Souji took me to the magistrate's office, I wonder about how I should feel. So many things had happened in just one day, I thought that I wasn't going to live long enough to see the sun rise. But I'm alive; however, I'm not exactly in the safe zone just yet. I was rescued by a group of men who aren't from here, and what's scarier is that I know these men can take lives away in less than minutes. But better them than dealing with the masked men. _Why did they assault me?_ I don't know the reason, nor do I think I want to know, but my thoughts eventually travel to my father.

_Where is he?_, I think desperately. He should've been home by now, and after the night's events, I begin to worry that something horrible might have happened to him. Even when I'm with Souji now, my heart still feels lonely without my father. I'd only just met Souji, and though he seems nice, I know he wouldn't hesitate to kill me if ordered to. I feel more alone than I've ever been before. It's frightening to think about how much my life had seemed to change with just the events of one night.

I don't think I'll be able to sleep easily for the rest of the night, nor for many more to come...

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**Firstly, let me apologize if there are any errors within the text, I'll go back in the future to make changes if I have to. I've been enjoying myself while writing this, and I hope that you guys have enjoyed this chapter as well. Stick around for the next chapter! Please, I'd very much appreciate a review telling me what you guys have thought about this chapter! As always, have an awesome day!**


	4. Chapter 3: The Conference

**Hey guys! I hope you're all enjoying what I've worked on so far, even though it's only the beginning. So far this story is off to a good start thanks to you guys, so I'll gladly continue the story. It's been harder for me to access fanfiction because my computer is piece of bull crap, so I'm so sorry if there are any errors that I've might have missed. But I have made this chapter longer for you guys to enjoy. Other than that… As always, enjoy!**

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Chapter 3: The Conference

We arrive at the magistrate's office at a late hour. Knowing that I'm in an important building, I suspect that the men that have "rescued" me must be important military officers of some sort. Still, I can tell that they're not from here, and that idea isn't the most comforting one. Nevertheless, I can't object or even oppose them now. They _did _save my life when I was certain that I should have died. The only thing I can do now is pray that my luck improves.

"Aren't you going to thank me?", the green-eyed man, named Souji, pulls me out of my train of thought.

"Huh?", I meet his gaze abruptly.

"I just saved your life, and I don't even get a simple 'thank you'?", he clarifies. His eyes are so fervently intense, I start to belief that needles will pop out from them. Despite his smile, I don't sense any mirth in it. I can guess from his expression that he means, "_Say thank you, or I'll throw you back into the woods_".

"O-Oh! Um… Thank you very much!", I bow in front of him, easily following his request. I'm so scared right now that I can feel my hands trembling violently against my knees. I might have been saved by him, but neither am I at ease around him. I study every detail about the ground so I don't have to look at his eyes. Suddenly, I hear a muffled giggle. _What?_

My head perks up slightly so I can gaze up at Souji attentively, and I see that he's…_laughing_? Finally, he reaches a point where he can't cover his own laughs with his hand, and he laughs an almost infectious and jolly sound. However, I don't laugh along because I have no idea what he's laughing about.

"…What's so funny?", I ask shyly. After a short moment, he finally composes himself, but not without wiping tears from his eyes.

"Oh my, I just never thought that you'd be so gullible", he grins at me while he tries to catch his breath. Embarrassingly, I duck my head down. I didn't want to do anything that would catch his attention, or even fall for anything that would provoke an unnecessary reaction out of me. I'm not sure whether or not I should be on edge with this man. _Just calm down, and act normal. You did nothing wrong_, I think to myself, but somehow I don't believe every thought, which makes my stomach churn unpleasantly.

"My apologies, but since we're at it; you're welcome", his face relaxes, and if I had just met him now, I would've certainly believed that he'd never hurt a soul. But I haven't forgotten what I've seen in the forest, and I doubt I could ever forget.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Okita Souji", his grin adds "_it's a pleasure to meet you_". If he'd almost forgotten to introduce himself, I wonder if he still remembers that he killed two men less than an hour ago. I try to ignore that idea, and I give him the best –appropriate- smile that I can. I have to mentally remind myself to now consider the green-eyed man as Okita rather than his first name.

"Anyway, enough with the introductions. We should get going", Okita then grabs my wrist again, almost roughly, and leads me through the halls of the magistrate's office.

The halls are lit slightly, but everyone inside must be fast asleep considering that I don't see anyone else, nor do I hear anything.

_I wonder if southern patrolmen know about these guys…_

I feel guilty for even wondering about it, but I don't understand why a group of spontaneous westerners are roaming these halls without any kind of supervision from any southern officer or guard. Either way, who am I to say or question anything about the men whom I owe my life to? I remind myself that it's probably none of my business to know anything at all, but still, I can't help but feel a little curious about these foreigners.

After walking around silently, Okita and I finally reach a room, to which I guess is near the back of the compound. After sliding the door open, Okita leads me inside and quickly slides the door closed. Though I'm possibly inside one of the safest buildings in the South, being alone with him in an enclosed room causes a small bead of sweat to roll down my face.

"Why do you look so tense? You know you can relax now?", he asks softly.

"…Okay", I swallow hard, and I clasp my hands together in order to keep them from trembling, but nothing I do seems to calm my nerves. Okita only smirks at me, and I can imagine him making fun of me in his head.

"It's gonna be some time until Hijikata-san gets back, so I'll let you get cleaned up", his light voice matches his warm smile, but his green eyes blaze warningly, and I automatically fear what will happen to me when Hijikata returns. I do my best to not think much of Okita's gaze; so instead, I take a mental note that the room we're in is a dimly lit bathroom. Buckets of water are all ready set, along with scrubs and towels. I step away from Okita and work my way toward the buckets to inspect them.

"All right…", is all I say, but I notice that Okita makes no attempt to leave. I give him a second, then five seconds, then half of a minute… _Does he plan on watching me bathe?!_

"U-Um, I can handle myself here, so…you can leave", I inform him with a nervous laugh, but he still doesn't move.

"Sorry, but I can't leave you alone", he states bluntly.

"W-What?! But why?!", panic boils my skin.

"I can't risk leaving you on your own. After all, you might use that chance to try to escape", he explains nonchalantly. Escaping hadn't come across my mind at all, but from his perspective, he does have a valid point. But does he expect to have me strip in front of him so easily?!

"I understand, but-!", before I can finish, he interrupts my argument.

"What's the problem? Are you really that innocent?", the corners of his lips point up, and his eyes become ignited with mischief.

"That's not exactly the problem…", I'm quickly running out of legitimate excuses that could have a _chance_ to persuade him.

"Besides, it's not like I haven't seen another man naked before", he adds. _Man…?_, then I remember that I'm still wearing men's clothing. _Oh! He thinks I'm a man! He doesn't know that I'm a girl. _If I tell him that, he might just give me the privacy I need.

"You see, I'm not-", I'm interrupted yet again.

"Relax. I'm just joking", he giggles slightly before he starts to walk out of the room. Before he exits, his head turns back, and I see that same dangerous intensity in his eyes.

"Just don't take too long, or else I'll pull you out by force", he smirks playfully, but his threat is enough to make my breathing hitch.

"Y-Yes sir!", I nod quickly in agreement, and he only chuckles at my response. I finally exhale a sigh of relief as soon as he leaves.

With him gone, I feel like some pressure has been lifted, but I know he'll return quickly, so I undress myself rapidly, not caring at all where I throw my dirty clothes. When I get myself situated for my bath, I grab one of the buckets of water and dump its contents without taking the time to consider the water's temperature.

"Ah!", I gasp as goose bumps immediately cover my skin. Of course, what should I expect? The water is freezing. My limbs tremble, and I instinctively move myself into a fetal position to try to preserve any warmth within me. _I can't slow down, or else he'll see me like this. _With that in mind, I pick up a rag and use it to scrub off all of the blood and dirt on me. I soak the rag in another bucket of cold water and squeeze it to drain most of the unpleasant water out. Once I rub the rag against my skin, it immediately turns into a combination of red and black. I feel my stomach twisting into knots when I gape at the rag that's stained with my blood. The rag is in no way comparable to the butcher's apron from earlier. It's entirely worse. The rag stares back at me malevolently. _Don't stop_, I remind myself and focus on getting cleaned up quickly. Once I've washed off, I inspect my body.

My wounds should've been enough to kill me, yet I don't have a single injury on my pale skin. The only indications that depict any harm being done are faint pink lines. Even my rib cage aches a little, despite some them being broken a while ago. I wonder if Okita suspects anything about my healed wounds. I remember his venomous glare when he looked at my healed arm despite all of the misleading blood and ash on it. It wouldn't surprise me if he does suspect something bad about me. Even _I _don't know what exactly is happening to me. So many things have happened in such a short amount of time, it's hard to collect all of my scattered thoughts together.

My fate is unclear. Yes, it seems as though I've been saved, but will these men let me go? From the look Hijikata gave me, I can tell that he wished I would've never seen those masked men. Though we share the same wish, wishing won't change what could all ready be set on stone. I know that these masked fanatics aren't just a rumor, they're real, and I've all ready gotten a personal view of their terror. I know too much all ready, and because of that, these westerners won't let me off so easily. _No! You shouldn't be thinking about that! _I scold myself. In order to prevent my situation from worsening, I shouldn't think more about those masked men. If I can convince myself, maybe I'll end up believing that what I saw was merely an illusion.

Afterwards, I dry myself off with the towels that provide me more warmth than the water, and I put my still-wet hair up again. I plan to put on my used clothes back on, but I take note that they're almost ripped to shreds. Luckily there's still cloth that can cover one's most private areas, but they're still in awful condition considering all of the blood on it. I really don't want to put on those men's clothes again, but before I can ponder about them any further, Okita's voice breaks the silence.

"You done yet?", he asks behind the closed door. _Oh no! I'm still not changed yet!_

"A-Almost!", I call back hastily. Without enough time to think clearly, I layer myself with as many towels as I possibly can and approach the door. I slide the shoji door only an inch and do my best to peak outside while trying to hide the rest of my body. Okita's brow curves in amusement when he sees me.

"I'm guessing you're not dressed yet?", he states as more of a fact rather than a question.

"U-Um… Would you happen to have any spare clothes I could borrow for the time being, please?", I'm as polite as I can be.

"Hmm… That's right; your old clothes were quite worn down, weren't they? I guess I could find something else for you to wear", he sounds charitable, but something about his demeanor suggests that he's planning something else. Nevertheless, I ignore that and bow my head.

"Thank you very much"

"Just wait here. I'll be right back", he gives me a quick smile before I see him disappear away from the door. I don't even have to wait an entire minute before he shows up again. Through the small opening on the door, he hands me what appears to be a sleeping yukata. I say my thanks once more before I shut the door and change. Once I have the yukata on, I notice that something's wrong with it. It's huge. It could easily fit two average-sized men. As for me, my frame is rather small compared to other girls my age, so the yukata fits _very _loosely on me. So much so, that it reveals much of my chest. _I can't go out like this._

"Okita-san?", I call.

"What?", I hear behind the door.

"Is there a smaller yukata that you could let me borrow instead?"

"Nope. That's the only one I could find", he answers quickly. _What?! No, he can't be serious!_

"But-", I begin to protest.

"Will you stop whining all ready? It's not my job to pamper a kid", he retorts what is true. _What am I going to do now? _There's no other choice. I do my best to wrap the fabric more than once around me, and I tie the obi as tight as I can. What I've done improves the fitting, but for extra precaution, I clutch the collar close to my neck.

"I'm going to count to three and if you're still not ready, I'll drag you out myself. One…", Okita begins.

"I'm coming", I promise.

"Two…"

"Okay, I'm ready", I say as I slide the door open all the way with my free hand.

"Three…", Okita mutters as he looks at me from head to toe, almost approvingly. A grin plays on his lips while he stares at me, and my face heats up from embarrassment. I know I must look ridiculous right now, but it was either the clean yukata or my tarnished clothes.

"Well then. Hijikata-san just came back a little while ago, so it's time for you to have a little…chat with us", I see the darkness in his eyes again while his lips thin into an impish smirk. I can feel fear shiver down my spine again. Whatever conversation I'll end up having with the others, it'll definitely not be pleasing.

Once again, Okita and I walk through the halls of the magistrate office. This time, and thankfully to my convenience, Okita doesn't grip my arm, so I keep a firm grip on my yukata. I can feel my heart beating against my chest violently as my nerves get the best of me. I'm extremely nervous. I'm surprised that I can even walk straight right now. But there are several things that I _have_ to know about these men, so I gather a small amount of courage and take a deep breath.

"Okita-san, may I ask you something?", I start with a shaky voice. His head turns back slightly to glance at me, and he says nothing for a brief moment before he finally sighs.

"I suppose"

Now that I have permission, I have numerous amounts of questions to ask, but I blurt whatever one pops into my head clearly.

"You and your comrades are all from the West, right?", though I all ready have a good idea of what the answer might be, I still ask just to be sure.

"So you're not that dull… Well as a matter of fact, we are", he then grins nicely, and I take that notion as a sign for me to proceed.

"Does someone from here know what you guys are doing?"

"Few. Not everyone needs to know about our business here", his answer is vague, but he keeps it that way to let me know that it's none of my business to ask why they're here. I decide to stop asking questions about them, and the next question that comes out of my mouth makes me nervous.

"…What's going to happen to me?", my voice trembles, but I manage to keep eye contact with Okita. The smile on his face drops gradually, which makes my blood race with panic.

"…I wonder that myself", he sighs afterwards.

"But for your best interest, know that they're worse methods out there than a quick death", his grin returns, but his green eyes that are usually full of energy turn grim. I don't understand what he meant by "worse methods" right away. I think about his words carefully, and when I have a solid idea of what he'd meant, my heart rises to my throat. _If they're going to kill me, my death won't be painful_, I translate his words in my mind. Though he might have said that to relieve my tension, it doesn't help the fact that I'm still faced against death.

_Why would they kill me?_ _I haven't given them a reason to do so, right? _Before I can even think about answering my own questions, Okita stops in front of me, and I notice that we're outside of another room.

He slides the door open, and before he steps inside, he whispers something that I almost can't hear.

"Don't try to lie"

The room that I step into is dark, and I can't see anything at all, but I hear Okita close the door behind me.

"Was anyone following you?", a firm voice asks from the shadows.

"Nah, people here sleep like bears", I hear Okita chuckle next to me.

"No one knows we're here, then. I think it's safe to assume that we won't receive unexpected company, so long as we settle the situation calmly and efficiently", a quieter voice adds. As soon as the quiet voice stops, I see a match light several lanterns in the room. My eyes quickly scan the dim room, and I instantly recognize the two faces of the other westerners.

"Have a seat", the man who I recognize as Hijikata commands me. I nod my head and take a spot on an empty pillow in front of Hijikata while Okita takes the spot beside me.

"Are you all right?", Saito asks me. Though he shows no concern on his face, I wonder if he can read the nervousness on my face.

"Y-Yes, I'm okay", I nod my head.

"Are you sure? From what we saw in the forest, it appeared as though you had taken several injuries?", Saito's eyes narrow slightly. He must have noticed my clothes from earlier, or Okita might have told him. Either way, I can't let anyone else know about my abnormal healing patterns.

"Yes, I'm fine. I only have minor cuts and bruises", I somewhat lie, and I can feel Okita's eyes slide to me like a stalking tiger.

"If you say that you're all right, then we'll move forward", Hijikata speaks up, and I silently thank him for doing so. He opens his mouth to say something, but the door behind me slides open abruptly.

"You owe me big time, Souji", another man's voice almost growls. My head turns back, and I identify the owner of the new voice. He's a tall, bulky man with short dark-brown hair and icy blue eyes. I study his clothes next. _He's a westerner too_. The front of his buttoned shirt is almost completely open which exposes most of his strong sculpted chest and abdomen. Somehow, it doesn't surprise me that this other westerner is handsome just like the other men in the room. I force my head around to avoid looking at his chest for too long.

"Ah, Shinpachi-san. What took you so long?", Okita asks with a teasing smirk to the man named Shinpachi. The other man's face glowers at Okita.

"_What took me so long?! _I'll tell you what took me so fuckin' long; you had me chase down a wild horse while you ran off the other way!"

"Lower your voice, Shinpachi", Saito warns coolly.

"What's the meaning of this?", Hijikata inquires with an obviously-annoyed tone.

"When Souji and I were lookin' around in the forest, this horse ran in out of nowhere. So while Souji went to check out the place where the horse had come from, he left me to do all the hard work. That damn horse was losing its shit too, and when I was trying to catch it, it almost bit my hand off!", Shinpachi was close to shouting again.

"But you caught the horse, didn't you? So what's the problem?", Okita's grin is almost mocking. This time, Shinpachi looks prepared to shout –maybe even throw- something back at Okita, but Hijikata interrupts his chance.

"Enough of this bullshit! We'll deal with the horse later. Shinpachi, get in and shut your mouth", Hijikata doesn't even need to yell to sound malicious. The man named Shinpachi curses under his breath and almost slams the door shut. As he walks in, his eyes finally meet mine.

"Who's the kid?"

"A witness", Saito answers bluntly.

"Sucks to suck", Shinpachi tells me with a mocking laugh, and I feel myself shrinking in size. Just as Shinpachi got situated, Hijikata's glare turns to me.

"I went ahead and checked out your place, but I thought you were exaggerating when you said that it was on fire", he folds his arms as he continues.

"Some serious shit went down there. Are you sure it wasn't your fault? Maybe you could've left something burning in the kitchen, or a light fell by accident", he stopped to let me explain. I know I didn't do anything that could've set my home ablaze. Sure, I was roasting some pork, but I had finished before I'd seen the first masked person. Also, the lanterns in my house weren't designed to have easily fallen over as well, so that option's ruled out.

"No, that couldn't have happened", I answer.

"Then explain _what_ happened. Don't miss any details either", Hijikata demands coldly. I'm not sure where to begin. I can't even identify the moment when things started to go wrong. My eyes wander around the room momentarily, and they end up finding Okita's. "_Don't try to lie_", his eyes convey his earlier warning. I don't think I'll get away with lying anyway. Okita will surely see through me if I try, and there's nothing that can hold him back from calling me out. _Just tell them the truth, what could they possibly hold accountable against me?_ I breathe in as much air as I can before I begin.

I tell them everything. From arriving home to chopping vegetables, I explain all of the details from earlier this evening. I recount the masked person I saw standing outside from my window, and how I felt sick shortly after. Then I move on to explain the hellfire consuming my house and the barn. I go into so much detail that I even explain the part of when I helped all of barn animals escape, including Chibi. Then I start to lie. I know I shouldn't, but I can't let my audience know how I survived the fire. Instead, I tell them I ran out of the barn before any flames could've crisped my flesh. They remain silent the entire time, and it seems Okita doesn't pick up on the fact that I lied, so I go on with my story.

Next, I explain to them my encounter with the first masked person. I go into details about our small conversation before I had darted into the woods. Then I lie again. I'm honest when I describe finding a hiding spot to avoid being seen by the other two masked men, but I lie about the cut on my hand. In attempt to cover up my secret, I tell them that the masked men appeared out of nowhere and started attacking me. Of course, I leave out the part about one masked man throwing me off a cliff. I do mention their inhuman lust for my blood, but I quickly wrap my story up by explaining how Okita killed the masked men before they could seriously hurt me.

"Sounds like you got pretty lucky, kid", Shinpachi is the first to say something.

"So you saw that much…", I barely hear Hijikata murmur. The next moment is long and tense without anyone saying anything. The room is filled with furrowing brows and pensive expressions. It's Saito that breaks the uneasy silence.

"Vice Commander, what are we to do with the witness?", he directs his question to Hijikata. The question is one that I'm silently urging to know myself. The look on Hijikata's face is unreadable, which makes my fate undeterminable. I can tell he is having difficulty deciding my situation, but he finally sighs deeply, and I hold my breath.

"From what you've told us, I don't think you were with those masked men", he starts. _They thought I was with those fanatics?! _

"What're you saying, Hijikata-san? You think this kid just ended up at the wrong place at the wrong time?", Shinpachi questions.

"That may be, but why would a group of killing machines waste so much effort on just one kid?", Okita adds. Hijikata's hard violet gaze meets mine.

"You seem like an innocent kid, but still, that doesn't change the fact that you saw what those masked men did tonight", his eyes narrow slightly, and I don't like the direction of the conversation.

"We don't know if they were targeting you for a specific reason or not, but I'm sure you're smart enough to figure out who those people were"

"…I've heard rumors", I answer truthfully.

"Those masked men should have remained as just rumors. It's all ready bad enough that the public knows of them, even if they don't believe them", Saito explains to me.

"Unfortunately for you, you are a victim of an event that proves those rumors to be true. We can't allow that truth to be confirmed", he adds, and I feel sweat trailing down my back.

"Are you suggesting we cut the kid's tongue off so he doesn't talk?", though Shinpachi says that as a joke, I can't suppress a terrified gasp.

"I-I promise I won't tell anyone!", I have to say something. Okita giggles at my outburst before facing me.

"And what? You want us to let you go just like that? Sorry, but we can't risk the slightest chance of the truth being exposed, even if you swear over your own dead body", his grin does the exact opposite of bringing me joy. Before I can even come up with something to save myself, Okita turns to Hijikata.

"Why don't we just kill the kid? It'd be much easier that way than anything else", he suggests casually, but I sense his lethal edge like a blade on my throat. _What?! No that can be-!_

"Hey, Souji! Don't you think that's a little harsh?", Shinpachi frowns slightly.

"Watch that fucking tongue, Souji. We're not just going to kill off some brat who isn't guilty of anything. Besides, what would Kondou-san say if he heard you talk like that?", Hijikata's voice is a low snarl as he reprimands Okita.

"C'mon, I was only joking! No need to get all pissy, Hijikata-san", Okita snorts a short laugh, but I catch a small amount of nervousness in his tone, which I find strange. Whoever "Kondou" might be, he must be someone that Okita doesn't want to disappoint.

"Then you should've said it like a joke", Saito adds coldly. For some strange reason, Okita avoids everyone's gaze.

"Geez, no one can take a good joke", I hear him mumble to himself; and even in the dim room, I can see his cheeks turn slightly pink with embarrassment.

"But we still haven't figured out what we're going to do to with him", Shinpachi reminds everyone while taking a quick glance at me. _That's right. They all still think I'm a boy; maybe it'll help me if I tell them I'm a girl_. I open my mouth to speak, but Hijikata interrupts me.

"Does anyone else live with you? It's hard to believe that a kid like you can live alone", his assumption is somewhat insulting since I have proven I can take care of myself, but I ignore his last statement. But his first question conjures back my worries for my father.

"Yes, my father lives with me. He was out of town for work, but he was supposed to return today. But…", I don't know how to explain the rest of my father's predicament.

"…but he didn't show up?", Okita finishes for me. I nod my head and quickly turn my attention back to Hijikata.

"Did you see anyone there by my house? Maybe my father's looking for me", I can't contain the desperation in my voice. Hijikata shakes his head, and a part of my hope is crushed.

"What sort of business does your father do?", he asks me in response.

"He's a doctor trained in western medicine. His trip was actually in the West. He's been gone for the past two weeks, but he told me he'd be back today", I explain.

"Western medicine you say? Those kinds of doctors are rare, so they should be well known", Saito comments softly.

"What's your father's name?", Hijikata asks me. I don't even take a full second to reply.

"Yukimura Kodou", as soon as my father's name escapes my mouth, I feel four pairs of wide eyes land on me.

"What did you say?!", Hijikata asks disbelievingly. _What? _Suddenly, I feel the aura in the room shift. The quick and unexpected tension is almost suffocating. I don't understand why my father's name had brought out such a shocking reaction from everyone. For a good five seconds, no one says anything as they let shock consume their minds and stiffen their bodies. It isn't until Okita speaks up that everyone else sits up straight.

"Guess we killed two birds with one stone, huh?", a triumphant grin plasters his face. I'm lost. I have no idea what just happened.

"…Do you know my father?", I ask timidly. I can tell that my father's name has complicated the situation for Hijikata.

"Yukimura Kodou was visiting the West to analyze some of our men that have fallen ill. But while he was there, he disappeared", he states it so bluntly, I almost think he's lying.

"What?!", I don't know what else to say. _My father disappeared?! What happened to him?!_ So many questions fly into my head, and the panic that seeps through my body isn't helping. Saito must have sensed my immediate agitation, so he spoke with an extremely composed demeanor, like an adult trying to reason with a confused child.

"Calm down. We don't believe he's dead. To us, it seemed like he fled"

"Fled?", I question. _Fled from what?_

"Oh, don't misunderstand. What Hajime-kun meant was that it was like Kodou-san had never showed up to being with", Okita tells me.

"We don't know what happened to him. We only know that he's gone. So we came here to see if we could find him or find any clues", Hijikata adds.

"Why are you looking for him?", I can't help but ask.

"He's not in trouble or anything, but his disappearance was kinda strange. So we're just looking into it", Shinpachi smiles at me to try to calm me down, which does help, but only a little. _Where is my father? Is he okay? Where is my father?_

"What now, Hijikata-san? If we can't kill her or let her go, what will we do with her?", Okita turns to Hijikata with an expecting expression.

"Yeah, Souji's got a point. What can we possibly do with her- _HER?!_ What do you mean by that?!", Shinpachi shouts out his confusion while Hijikata shoots him a nasty glare.

"What're you getting so worked up for, Shinpachi? She's a girl, so what?", Hijikata snaps in a manner of a harsh whisper, reminding the other man that the current meeting is supposed to be confidential.

"Did you really think _she_ was a guy? It's _obvious_ she's a girl", Okita emphasized with an amused glint in his eyes. My face burns to the point where I can fry eggs on my cheeks. _If Okita knew I was a girl the entire time, then was he planning on seeing me naked?!_ I clutch my yukata as tight as I can, doing my best to hide all of my exposed skin. Okita's eyes slide to mine momentarily and he smirks at my reaction. I train my eyes on the floor and distract myself in any possible way to avert his intense gaze.

"Oh, Shinpachi-san. No wonder why Sano-san gets all the women", Okita looks away from me and laughs at the stunned man. In response, Shinpachi looks insulted by Okita's comment. I can only assume that the other man named "Sano" must be a lady killer, or someone that Shinpachi doesn't want to be compared with, or both.

"Shut up! I can't be the only one who thought she's a guy, right Saito?", Shinpachi looks at Saito with earnest and pleading eyes, but Saito's deep blue eyes look almost uninterested.

"You're the only one who thought she was a man. As for me, I could tell she was a woman, she does have obvious female features", Saito's voice is stoic, but his words make the blush on my face turn red.

"What?! Not you too, Saito!", Shinpachi whines, which strikes another chord within Hijikata.

"How many times do I have to tell you to shut up? We don't want anyone else listening in on this. She's a girl, that's it", though Hijikata directs his words to Shinpachi, I can feel the tension in the room increase.

"I don't know… _He_ may look like a girl to you, but I'm still not buying it… I think we need _proof_", Shinpachi's voice softens, but everyone in the room can hear him clearly, especially me. _Proof?! _My head almost snaps when I turn to Hijikata with a begging expression.

"Please, don't-!", my voice almost strains.

"You need more proof? Well do you want her to undress for you?", Okita laughs at the idea while Saito, who had been relatively calm throughout the entire conversation, has a small embarrassed blush staining his face. Hijikata finally steps in to my relief.

"Of course we won't undress her. So everyone, stop getting excited about that ridiculous idea", he scolds the other men like a mother would to her misbehaving children. Okita only shrugs his shoulders while Saito pretends to cough. On the other hand, Shinpachi stares at me with squinted eyes. I guess he's trying to find any small detail that could prove my gender to be a boy.

"Anyway, back on subject. Knowing that you're the daughter of Doctor Kodou, I can't have you killed. But neither can I let you run loose…", I see that my connection to my father has only put more stress on Hijikata, and I feel sort of guilty for being a nuisance to him. But what are they to do with me? Even if they were to let me go, I don't have a home to return to.

"I guess we could watch over her for a while…", Shinpachi suggests.

"That sure sounds nice and easy, but what are we going to do with her after we leave this place?", Okita cuts in.

"Souji's right. It's not like we will stay in the South for a long enough time to look after her and be able to find Yukimura. We still have our own priorities back in the West", Saito adds. Once again, the room finds itself in another wave of deep thought.

"Yukimura", Hijikata calls my attention.

"Yes?"

"Whenever your father goes out of town, does he have someone else in charge of you?"

"U-Um…", I think about his question for a while. I generally stay by myself in the house whenever my father leaves for a trip, and it normally shouldn't have been a big deal, but two weeks has been the longest my father had left me alone. I didn't mind looking after myself, or even holding down the house and the barn. But there is someone that Father told me to look for in case there ever was an emergency.

"…I usually look after myself, but my father told me to visit another doctor by the name of Matsumoto Ryojun in case I ever needed anything", I tell Hijikata.

"I see… Then we'll have to discuss several things with him as well", Hijikata looks about ready to get up from his seat, but Okita stops him before he moves an inch.

"Just hold on a sec. You're planning on seeing this Matsumoto guy right now? Don't you think it's a little late for that?"

"Then what do you want me to do, Souji? We have to talk to that doctor as soon as possible", Hijikata's eyes narrow slightly at the other man.

"Why don't we just pay him a visit tomorrow? Besides, we wouldn't want anyone else getting panicked. Imagine how it would look if a couple of westerners barged into some good doctor's home in the middle of the night demanding information on a missing person, especially after all that's happened", Okita explains. I'm not entirely sure what he meant by "anyone else getting panicked", but I can assume it has something to do with the events of this night. If anyone does so much as even guess that the masked fanatics are real, panic could begin to spread like a crown forest fire. A case of a missing person wouldn't be of much help either to put out the flames.

"I agree with Souji. It's better for us to confront the doctor like normal civilians", Saito says to Hijikata.

"So what's it gonna be?", Shinpachi asks the pensive Vice Commander.

"…Very well, we'll check in with him tomorrow first thing", Hijikata then turns his serious gaze at me.

"As for you, we can give you a room for tonight"

"Really?!", I get a little excited knowing that I'm not going to get killed today.

"Hell yeah! The new girl gets to hang out with us for a bit. Don't worry, we'll take good care of you", Shinpachi boasts excitedly as well, but I'm not sure what's so exciting about them having to watch over me. Okita must share my same confusion when he quirks a brow at Shinpachi.

"What's this all of the sudden? Did you have a change of heart now that you know the kid's a girl?", Okita teases to the almost rowdy man.

"T-That's not true, you dick! I'm just being a proper gentlemen", Shinpachi claims proudly by lifting his chin.

"I wouldn't say 'proper'…", Saito comments.

"What's with all of you?! Is today 'Screw Over Shinpachi Day'?! Huh?!", Shinpachi jumps up from his seat and points an accusing finger at everyone else.

"Keep your voice down!", Hijikata snarls, but I know he's doing his best to keep his own pitch from increasing. Okita chuckles next to me, and I can't help myself from giggling along. Throughout this entire day, this moment is perhaps one of the most cheerful ones out of a pool full of energy-draining ones. It's ironic that these men who were threatening to kill me only a moment ago could put a smile on my face. My troubles haven't vanished, but these men have reinforced my hope for a better outcome.

"Well if you're gonna be staying with us for a while you should know our names", Okita says, but his words are also directed to the other men.

"I'm Nagakura Shinpachi!", the man, who I now consider to be Nagakura, flashes a white smile at me.

"Saito Hajime", Saito quietly tells me. I look at Hijikata next, and he seems reluctant to introduce himself, but he finally sighs and meets my waiting gaze.

"…Hijikata Toshizo-"

"You all ready know who I am, so now it's time for you to introduce yourself", Okita cuts off Hijikata immediately and waits for my response. For a moment, I think I almost hear Hijikata growling in the back.

"Well?", Okita presses.

"Uh… My name is Yukimura Chizuru", I bow my head at everyone.

"Thank you very much for letting me stay with you. Please take care of me", I bow once more, and Nagakura speaks up.

"It's no problem, Chizuru-chan! We're all happy you get to stay with us", I hear Okita giggle once more, but he restrains himself from mocking Shinpachi any further.

"Don't let Shinpachi fool you. You're not staying with us for fun and games", Hijikata reminds me sternly.

"Right", I nod my head in understanding.

There's still so much for me to worry about. I have no idea what's happening with my father or even where he can possibly be right now. Of course, the question "why" only complicates things more. I don't even know what will happen to me exactly. I know these westerners won't kill me, but neither will all of them pamper me like a lost child. They made it very clear that they don't want anyone knowing about the masked men, I just happen to be a rare exception due to my ties with my father. One wrong move from me, and I can kiss their hospitality goodbye. But nevertheless, I'm alive, and to me that's worth something. _Maybe things won't be so bad after all… _

I can't allow myself to feel so defeated anymore. Tomorrow will be a new day, and I'll get more help from Doctor Matsumoto. _Things have to get better…right?_ They have to, or else, I wouldn't know what to do next. Just keep moving forward, that's all I'll have to do. At last, I'll escape from the darkness of night and get to see the sun rise from the east tomorrow morning.

After the meeting, Okita leads me to my new room. I'm about to step inside and get prepared for my much needed sleep, when suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder. Before I can totally process what's going on, I feel myself being pinned against the nearest wall. My eyelids fly up as far as they can, and I immediately recognize that Okita is the one pinning me to the wall.

"W-Wha-?!", I begin to question him, but I stop myself when his face nears mine. His emerald eyes are darker and more perilous underneath the dim lighting of the hall. His face nears considerably closer to mine, and I momentarily forget how to breathe. Just before his face meets mine, his head turns to my right shoulder. I try to push him away, but both of my hands have been caught by his iron grasp. The sound of my heart beating roughly against my chest is so loud, I begin to think that Okita will be able to hear it. I feel his soft warm breath on my ear. The next words he says are a low warning whisper, which makes my heart drop.

"I told you not to lie, Chizuru-chan…", he steps back and gives me an innocent smile before he walks away from me and disappears within the shadows.

Emotion takes control of my body, and I feel myself drop to the floor. I'm not so sure anymore if it would've been better for me to get killed in the woods by those masked men, or face Okita once again.

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**I hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter! I'm sorry for the long wait, but the weekends are the only spare times I have to write. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of or what you enjoyed about this chapter! I would really appreciate it because I would certainly like to continue writing this story. The next chapter will take some time for me to post unfortunately, but I'll do my best to work with my schedule. As always, have an awesome day!**


	5. Chapter 4: Questions Without an Answer

**Hey guys! I know it's been some time since I've written anything, but time is a ****luxury I can't always have. Anyway, good news is that I got a brand new laptop, so bugs on anything shouldn't be a problem for me. However, given my rigorous schedule, I won't be able to write frequently until May. In spite of that, this story will continue since I have such a fun time writing it. Thank you for being patient! And thank you for all of your reviews, I really appreciate the feedback! There will be an OC in this chapter, but as I've mentioned before, it won't affect the plot dramatically. As always, enjoy!**

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Chapter 4: Questions Without an Answer

The sound of birds chirping outside pulls me from my sleep. My eyes open lazily while I groan in protest for being awake. The birds might be at it early this morning, but the sun isn't even halfway past the horizon. My still-blurred vision looks at the semi-dark ceiling that I'm laying under. _Where am I...?_

For a split second, I think I'm in my room back home, and I jolt myself fully awake by sitting up abruptly. However, I remember that my home no longer exists. What's left of my room is probably ash and debris. My gaze wanders around the alien room that's obviously not mine. _So it wasn't a dream..._ A pool of sadness floods my heart momentarily.

…My home is gone. My father is gone. And so is my freedom.

I whimper softly and fall back heavily on the futon. It's still somewhat dark outside, and from the events of last night, I have no desire to get up. I curl up into a ball and hope that I can fall asleep again.

_How did I end up like this?_ When I was meeting the brink of death in the forest, I went beyond my limit to simply breathe, and there was certainly more effort put in when I was trying to survive. But now I feel lost. I feel more defeated. My hands clench into tiny fists at my side. _Why is it so easy for me to give up?_ I'm frustrated at my own mental helplessness. I can't allow myself to succumb to my pessimistic thoughts, but still… I don't know what to expect anymore. For all I know, my life can take another unexpected curve. Stress causes an ache to develop in my head.

I'm beyond exhausted. I think I only slept for four hours last night, though it's not just the lack of sleep that has me tired. Memories from yesterday come pouring into my head. In order for me to not go insane and lose my grip with reality, I mentally inform myself of what happened yesterday.

_I was being chased by a notorious group of masked men who were trying to kill me, and I still don't know the reason why_.

_I was saved by a group of western soldiers, who are probably still considering my innocence. They could've killed me for just seeing the masked men at work, but for some reason that I'm still unsure of, my connection to my father has spared my life._

_I think I'll be okay with these men…right?_

Suddenly, Okita's words echo through my brain like an omen.

"_I told you not to lie, Chizuru-chan..._"

His words send an unnerving chill down my spine. I pull the blanket closer to my head in response. That's why I didn't get much sleep. I stayed up late in my futon with an incredibly fast heart rate thinking about his sly words and hot emerald eyes. Before, I was once wishing for morning to come, but now I'm praying that time could freeze so I don't have to see Okita again. _Oh how things change_, I think sarcastically, but I can't manage to cheer myself up with my poor sense of humor.

I sigh and try to focus on thinking about something else; however, my thoughts all ways return to Okita.

His cat-like grin is like a knife to my back. How did he know I was lying? Was I that obvious to exploit? It wasn't easy for me to lie about my secret, but it seemed like I did convince everyone else. _Everyone else except for Okita_, my subconscious reminds me harshly. What will he do now, I wonder. Did lying about my secret prove to be detrimental to my chances of survival? I don't know the answer, and I'm scared -terrified even- to find out.

He might have told the others; maybe they're planning to kill me now. _Great, now I have no chance of living and looking for my father._ I frown at the thought.

_Father..._

What's happening to him right now? I only hope that wherever he might be, he's safe. I start to wonder about the possibilities of what could've happened to him, but I can't come to a plausible conclusion. I don't end up thinking about it for long because I hear a familiar voice behind my door, which interrupts my train of thought.

"Yukimura", the quiet but firm voice calls. I slip out of my futon and adjust my still-very-loose yukata before I reach the door. I slide it open, and I see Saito standing right outside in the dark hallway. Before I can greet him, he interrupts my chance.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but we must leave this place as soon as possible", he whispers to me. I blink. I'm still dazed from my rough night, but I'm still confused by what he had meant. _Leave?_

"Um... Why?", I blurt with a groggy voice. His sapphire eyes harden slightly, and I can tell that my question is annoying for him to answer. He pulls an are-you-really-asking-me-that face. Nonetheless, he manages to stay calm and simply regards me with a stoic expression.

"I understand that this is sudden, but I'll explain everything to you once we leave", I can sense his urge to leave in the edge of his voice. I nod and begin to step out of the room, but Saito stops me. I lift a confused brow, and I see him lift something up in return. My eyes trail down to the folded piece of fabric that he's offering me.

"First you must change into this. Quickly", he instructs me. I take the fabric from his hands, and he literary shuts the door in my face.

"Okay...?", I breathe out. I'm not sure what to make of my first and very brief encounter of the day. I push that idea aside and work to getting changed "quickly" just as Saito had instructed me to do. Gladly, I pull off my sleeping yukata while remembering the embarrassment it brought me yesterday, and I unfold my new garb.

The sun rose a little bit, so I can now see my surroundings better. _Yes! _I smile when I observe the new piece of clothing that Saito gave me. It's an everyday women's kimono, and I'm more than happy about not disguising myself as a boy anymore. I then observe the details about the kimono. It's cerulean blue with a very simple floral pattern descending from the sleeves, but nonetheless, it's still beautiful. Now excited, I quickly put on the kimono and wrap the cream colored obi that came with it around me.

I feel like I've returned a step closer to normality now that I'm actually dressed up as a girl. I then run my fingers through my dark, tangled hair so it doesn't look like a tyrannous beast. Once I've soothed my hair out, I grab my crimson hair chords and use it to tie my hair loosely to the side.

"Yukimura, are you ready?", Saito asks me from behind the door.

"Yes", I turn around and see Saito slide the door open in response.

I'm not sure what happened, but Saito looks at me as if he's seeing a ghost. He says nothing, but simply regards my entire figure with watchful and almost disbelieving eyes. Now I feel awkward. I have no idea what he's thinking, or even exactly what he's doing. The silence only makes the ambiance worse. Finally, when I've had enough of this uncomfortable situation, I speak up.

"Um, Saito-san, is there something wrong?"

I must have startled him somehow because he blinks abruptly and then meets my gaze with wide eyes. _What's going on with him?_

"…Is that really you, Yukimura?", his voice surprises me because I catch a nervous edge in it.

"Yes…", I raise a confused brow at him. His eyes trail up and down when he looks at me again. This time I notice that he's studying my clothes. Embarrassed, I duck my head.

"Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?", I ask timidly. His eyes zap from my clothes to my own brown orbs.

"No, there's nothing wrong with what you are wearing…", his voice is the quietest I've ever heard him speak. For a moment, I think I catch a glimpse of him blushing, but I quickly disregard that idea. _He's not the type that would blush around women, right? _The idea is absurd. Saito is perhaps the most serious one out of the entire group of westerners I've met. I must be getting ahead of myself if I believe that Saito would blush so easily.

"If you're ready, we should be leaving now", he turns away curtly and sets a hurried pace in his stride. I have to jog a little bit in order for me to catch up with him. _Really, what's going on with him?_, I wonder again.

The halls of the magistrate's office are still dark, and it doesn't seem like anyone else is awake right now. Saito and I move silently and quickly through the halls like ghosts. I don't know why we're in such a rush, but nevertheless I don't dare to question it aloud. We approach a corner, and all of the sudden Saito stops and puts an arm out in front of me. I almost crash into his arm, and I give him a confused stare. Then I hear voices, none of which I recognize. I listen in onto their conversations about patrols and people who they've caught stealing. The voices must belong to those of southern patrolmen. It isn't until the voices die down that Saito and I resume our course. _He must not want us to be spotted. _Then I remember that Okita did say that only a few southerners know they're here, and also that not everyone needed to know what they're doing here. Now I understand why Saito is being very discreet.

We eventually make it out of the magistrate's office unnoticed, and we begin to walk the town's streets. The sun is now up in the sky, and merchants are beginning to open their stores for the day.

"Saito-san, where are we going?", I ask curiously.

"To meet with everyone else", Saito answers me without taking his eyes off the street. By his answer, I take it that all of the other westerners must be awake and are all ready at work.

"Oh, why did we have to leave the magistrate's office so early?", I recall my earlier question.

"So no one could see us, even though we are in disguise", he says blatantly. _Disguise?_ Finally, I notice that Saito isn't in his western uniform. Instead, he's wearing an everyday men's hakama, a trademark for the common southern male.

"Why do you have to disguise yourself?", I ask.

"If we're to move freely in daylight, we must blend in with our surroundings. Besides, if we were to walk around the South in our western apparel, it might alarm other southerners", he explains. Now that we're on the topic about clothes, I speak up.

"…Thank you for letting me borrow this kimono. It's beautiful", I tell Saito. His eyes meet mine shyly, and this time, I'm not mistaken that he's blushing.

"Yes…well, it was Shinpachi who bought it for you. So you should be thanking him", he says awkwardly.

"Oh? Well…thank you for bringing it to me", I feel like I have to credit him for something.

"…It was nothing", his eyes trail back to the street. It's hard to see past his indigo bangs, but it still looks like he's blushing. I stifle a giggle. There's definitely more to Saito than what meets the eye.

Walking around the streets of my southern hometown relaxes me a little. Everyone's lives seem normal and mundane, as they should be. People begin to leave their homes to run errands, while merchants do their best to convince customers to buy their latest products. Even watching children play in the street brings a smile to my face. So my life hasn't taken a complete turn for the worse.

I had guessed that Okita would've told the others about my dishonesty, and I would've been punished for it all ready, but Saito shows no signs that he's ready to take my life away –but if given the order, I'm positive he wouldn't hesitate. Maybe Okita didn't tell anyone…_yet_. Or perhaps he was just joking around with me. I don't know. I can't distinguish anything honest that Okita has done so far. _Just stay calm…_

Finally, Saito and I arrive at a small restaurant and step inside. It's still not crowded considering that it's still kind of early, but there's one table being occupied. Saito approaches that table, and I follow along. At a closer distance, I now see that it's Nagakura sitting at the table. Like Saito, he's dressed in southern garb, but the shirt he has on sags _very_ loosely, which also reveals more of his ripped chest and abdomen. Once again, it takes effort for me to train my eyes on his instead of his physique.

"Well, well, well. I never would've guessed that you're such a lady's man, Saito, you dog", Nagakura smiles mischievously at a clearly-not-amused Saito. Nagakura shoots me a wink, and I feel my cheeks beginning to burn.

"Gotta say, Saito, I'm quite impressed. You picked up a hot babe from the street", Nagakura continues.

"What are you talking about, Shinpachi? I only followed my orders and escorted Yukimura here", Saito tells the other man with a stoic expression. Nagakura blinks.

"Eh?", his sky blue eyes study me attentively while I'm filled with the need to cover my tomato-red face. After several awkwardly long seconds, Nagakura's eyes widen to the point where I start to think that they'll pop out from their sockets. Suddenly, he stands up from is seat, almost knocking his chair back, and he slaps his hands on the table.

"Whaaa?! Chizuru-chan, is that really you?!", his mouth drops open with shock and disbelief. _Why did Saito and Nagakura ask that? Am I really that unrecognizable?_

"Y-Yes, it's me…", I assure Nagakura nervously.

"Holy shit! You're so good lookin' that I didn't recognize you!", my voice cracks in my throat when I hear Nagakura talk.

"What's this, Shinpachi-san? Have you fallen in love with her all ready?", when I hear that familiar, teasing voice, I almost jump. My heart rate begins to accelerate. I turn my head around slowly. There he is. His famous crooked smile sends shivers down my spine.

"I'll admit though, she's not a bad choice", Okita grins at Nagakura while approaching us from the entrance. His devilish green eyes meet mine, and now it becomes an effort for me to breathe. Even though I'm fully clothed, I feel naked and vulnerable before him.

"Hey, Souji, are you trying to make me blush?", Nagakura laughs while scratching the back of his head. Okita only chuckles, and I take the time to observe his new southern clothing. Instead of a hakama, he's wearing a men's kimono that's as dark as a shaded green forest. His impressive collarbones stand out proudly along with a small part of his toned chest. Quickly realizing that I'm gawking at Okita, I shift my focus on something else. Like the others, his swords are strapped securely to his side, which can only mean that he won't drop his guard, especially around me.

"But really, Chizuru-chan, even though we're supposed to lay low, you'll be turning a lot heads today", Nagakura praises me with a huge smile.

"N-No. Not at all…", my speech is pathetic as I reject Nagakura's comment. As Saito takes a seat next to Nagakura, I feel Okita coming closer to me like a prowling lion.

"So Chizuru-chan, how did you sleep last night? Did you have any dreams?", he asks me nicely, but I see the familiar and dangerous glint in his eyes. I shudder when I translate his words in my head. _What you meant to say was, "Did you have any nightmares about me last night? Or did you stay up all night thinking about what I said?". The answer is yes. I hardly slept well because you're so terrifying that I almost had a panic attack._ Right now, I want to run away from him, but only doing that will get me in more trouble. I can't possibly escape from him. Knowing that, I gather the courage to meet his intense gaze.

"Fine. And no, I didn't dream at all last night. Thank you for asking", I smile at him –or at least try to- challengingly, and I catch a glimpse of amusement in his eyes as he stares down at me. Luckily, he doesn't respond, and both of us take a spot at the table.

Unfortunately, I end up sitting next to Okita as we all wait for our breakfast. I'm silent the entire time while the three men share stories about funny or interesting things they've seen. Occasionally, names, such as "Heisuke" and "Yamazaki", that I can't put faces to are spoken. Eventually our meals are brought out to us, and everyone enjoys their food. So far, everything seems all right. The men appear to be natural and relaxed. While eating, I study Okita the most. He hasn't given the other men any indication about his discovery, so for now I'm safe. However, every time his eyes catch mine, I end up looking back down at my food.

"All right, so what's the plan for today?", Nagakura asks while relaxing heavily on his chair and patting his full and satisfied stomach.

"We're to continue our search", Saito answers him._ Could he be referring to the search for my father? _I'm not sure, but if I ask, I feel like no one will answer me.

"As for you…", Saito looks at me seriously, and I'm not sure what to expect from him. I try to mask my inner anxiety with a straight face.

"You're to find Doctor Matsumoto, along with Souji", he tells me calmly, but by mentioning that Okita will be accompanying me, I feel tense. Okita doesn't seem to like the idea either when he suddenly sits upright and scowls at Saito.

"Eh? Why do I have to be the babysitter?", he complains.

"Those are Hijikata-san's orders, not mine. Either way, you must follow them", Saito tells the other man in a controlled manner, not at all caring about what Okita thinks. Okita sighs in defeat.

"Damn, Hijikata-san can be a real pain in the ass… That just means I'll have to return the favor one of these days…", he talks to himself, but I can all ready tell that he's planning to do something to Hijikata that doesn't sound pleasant. For some unknown reason, Saito furrows his brows at Okita's comment.

"Well then, Chizuru-chan, we should get going", Okita pats my shoulder as he rises from his seat, and by force I must follow along.

"Thank you for the meal", I bow to Saito and Nagakura before I follow Okita outside.

We don't walk far when all of the sudden, I hear Nagakura's voice yelling from the distance.

"Hey, Souji! Get back here! You're supposed to pay for all of us!", I turn my head back, and I see an angry Nagakura standing outside next to an even angrier restaurant owner. Then I feel Okita's large hand encircle my wrist.

"Let's go, Chizuru-chan", he smiles at me and begins to pull me with him.

"But-!", I can't even finish what I'm about to say because soon enough I have to run into a sprint to keep up with Okita. As we run farther away, I hear Nagakura's shouting die down. Okita begins to laugh as he leads me further away from the restaurant, and I can't resist laughing along with him. Though I do feel bad for Nagakura, I have to admit that it's fun being mischievous from time to time.

Finally, and thankfully, we run far enough that we reach a stopping point to catch our breaths. I'm more exhausted than Okita because it took more effort on my part to run in a women's kimono.

"I think we're safe now", Okita says with a triumphant grin.

"But who will pay for all of our meals?", I say in between pants.

"Don't worry about it. Hajime-kun's got us covered", he tries to assure me.

"Okay…", I finally give in, despite still being unsure about the idea that Saito has to pay for all of us.

"Now, lets look for this Doctor Matsumoto guy", Okita tells me with a smile and walks next to me as I begin to show him the way to the doctor's house.

As we walk, we pass by a dango shop. Okita stops, and his eyes light up like a child's.

"Think you could wait here a bit? I'll buy us some snacks"

"All right", I agree, though I doubt refusing him is an option.

"Thank you. I'll be right back", he flashes a bright smile, giving me a good view of his perfect white teeth, and he steps inside the dango shop. I don't try to use this opportunity to run away because I know how pointless that will end up being. Besides, if I run away, I might lose my change of finding out what happened to my father. Instead, I watch Okita from a distance as he puts on a friendly smile while talking to the store clerk.

I'm somewhat confused by Okita's behavior. Though there's no doubt in my mind that Okita has a playful personality, I don't understand why he's being so nice to me. What he whispered to me last night was terrifying, and he certainly hinted that something bad is going to happen to me for lying, but I can't pick up any signs of that mood anymore. _Maybe he's trying to get me relaxed, that way when he takes me down, it'll be unexpected and painful. _I frown. I can't believe I'm so paranoid around him. _Maybe I'm over exaggerating._ After all, Okita is a soldier. When I met him, he was only doing his job. _Maybe he's not that bad of a person…_

"Well look who it is. I wasn't expecting to see you around here, Chizuru", a girl's voice pulls me out of thought, and I turn around to meet the girl. It takes a lot of effort for me to look at the recognizable girl with a straight face.

"I'm surprised to see you dressed up as girl, after all, people were saying that you were impersonating a boy yesterday", Suzuki Kiyomi tells me with a belligerent smile as she walks toward me with several of her pretty friends. It wasn't like I was dressed up as a boy for fun. I had to dress like that if I was to ride on horseback yesterday.

"Yes, but I'm back to normal now", I say rapidly so I can end our conversation. Kiyomi is perhaps one of the most beautiful girls I have ever met. With strawberry-blonde hair and sea-green eyes, she's a golden girl. Not only that, she's thin but busty in all of the right places. She comes from an extremely wealthy family, and she's whom every man wants to marry. Despite being the same age, I feel like an undeveloped child whenever I see her. The feeling is worse whenever we're actually conversing with each other.

"Yes, but I have to ask why you were dressed like a boy yesterday. Was it because you have no luck with men that you decided to change your interests? If that's the case, you're failing miserably. Can't say that I expected much from a pitiful kid", she laughs at her own rude joke while her entourage follows by example. I roll my eyes and begin to walk away, but I feel a rough tug on my sleeve.

"Though I must say, this is a pretty kimono, though it hardly does any favors for you. Should I make it match with what you really are?", Kiyomi begins to crumple my sleeve with her hand while a split smile takes form on her face. This time I glare at her, and I plan to pry her fingers off of me, but my plan gets interrupted.

"Who are they, Chizuru-chan? Friends of yours?", Okita walks in with two dango sticks in hand. Kiyomi automatically releases my sleeve and takes on an even more beautiful appearance when she smiles at Okita.

"Yes, we've known each other since we were kids", she says the lie gracefully. Though I've known her since I was a child, we're the exact opposite of friends. Since I can remember, Kiyomi all ways found a certain pleasure in teasing me, and more often than not, her jokes have all ways been full of malice. Of course, I never told anyone about this because I didn't want to come across as a snitch. So I would all ways duck my head and ignore her witty comments as best as I could.

"But I didn't know that Chizuru-chan had such a handsome friend", Kiyomi's eyes light up with flirtatious lust as she approaches Okita, who seems unfazed by her whereas any other man would've melted. I want to scream at her. She never uses the honorific "chan" with me._ If only she knew that Okita was threatening to kill me… _But I can't blame her for being attracted to Okita. He really is handsome, and that's just putting it lightly. All of the sudden, I feel inferior standing next to two of the most beautiful people in all of Solis.

"Say, Chizuru-chan, why don't you introduce us?", Kiyomi asks me with insincere politeness while her eyes are still trained on Okita.

"Um…", it's hardly my place to introduce Okita since I've only known him for half a day, and I certainly don't want to listen Kiyomi's demands, but her eyes are demanding.

"This is Okita Souji-san, he's a…", I'm stuck. I really don't know what Okita is to me. I guess he's my rescuer and captivator, but I will meet the edge of Okita's sword if I explain that.

"I guess you could say we're friends", Okita fills in for me with his common half smile while handing me a dango stick.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Souji-san", Kiyomi rolls her words with her tongue elegantly. _Really. She's calling him by his first name now? _Either Okita doesn't notice, or he doesn't care, he simply regards Kiyomi with a nonchalant expression.

"My name is Suzuki Kiyomi. Are you new around here? I would've certainly remembered a face like yours if I've seen it before", she continues with a charming –even seductive- tone while she waves off her entourage that are called her "friends".

"I've been through these parts of town before, so you must not have a good eye", Okita says the insult nicely with an innocent grin. Kiyomi blinks suddenly, utterly confused. This time I feel a small amount of pity for her. She has no idea how cruel Okita can get.

"Um, we're really busy, we have several errands to run", I try to excuse Okita and I away from Kiyomi, but neither of them budge.

"Oh my, I'm embarrassed", Kiyomi laughs magically while a beautiful blush decorates her face. She then turns her head in my direction and maintains her winning smile, but I can feel her venom radiating from her eyes.

"Chizuru-chan, how do you know Souji-san?", I'm stuck again by her question.

"W-Well…we", I stutter helplessly. _Shit_. I don't normally curse in my head, and never aloud, but this moment is just too aggravating. Before I can think of a proper excuse, Okita puts an arm around me and forcibly pulls me against his chest. My entire body gets hot with embarrassment.

"Ah! Um!", I try to push away, but Okita's arm is secure around me. Kiyomi is just as shocked as I am because her mouth drops open, and her eyes become wide.

"We met last night, and I couldn't keep myself away from her", he says to the confused girl, but his emerald eyes are locked onto mine. _What?!_ I can feel chest constricting inside me. Well, technically, what he said is true. We did meet last night, and somehow I'm all ways stuck with him, but it hasn't been a pleasurable experience all the way through. _Oh God, can we please leave?!_

"W-Wait, so are you two _together_?", Kiyomi asks disbelievingly. I'm ready to bark out "no", but Okita beats me.

"Yes, isn't that right, Chizuru-chan?", his emerald eyes are warm and soft as he looks down at me. If he wasn't holding me right now, I'm sure I would've fallen to the ground because my legs feel like gooey mud. I'm speechless. I don't know what to say anymore. I realize that Okita is putting on an act for Kiyomi, but I'm still flustered by everything he's done so far. Okita senses my hesitation, so he drops his arm off of me. I begin to feel relieved, when suddenly I feel his hand smack my rear gently.

"What the-?!", I gasp, and feel my face becoming ten shades darker than before. _Now I'm being sexually harassed?!_

"W-What was that for?!", I regret asking because I should know by now that Okita will only make me more flustered.

"Oh Chizuru-chan…", his arm encircles around me, and I yelp with surprise.

"You know I love it when you play hard to get", his lips brush against my ear when he says that. I want to slap myself for blushing more. _He's just acting, get a grip_, I remind myself. Still, my thoughts can't control my accelerated heart rate.

"Well then, I should leave you to your…errands", Kiyomi forces a smile, but her eyes are as sharp as daggers. If I ever confront her again without Okita, I'll surely suffer through hell.

"It was nice meeting you too", I catch the sarcasm in Okita's voice. This time, Kiyomi doesn't hide her disgust, but she marches off without taking a second glance at us. Now that she's gone, I force myself away from Okita.

"You didn't have to go that far", I reprimand him. Okita only lifts a brow at me.

"Well I noticed you couldn't handle that girl on your own, so I had to step in before you could screw things up for us", whatever flirtatious energy he had with me is gone. I drop my head at his comment. He's right. What could I have done to escape from that dreadful conversation with Kiyomi?

"Besides, I kinda wanted to step in", Okita adds, and I meet his gaze with a surprised expression. Okita doesn't seem like the kind of person who would step in for others unless ordered to. I don't why he would take a sudden interest in stepping up for me.

"Why?", I ask, curious to know his answer. I see a new expression on his face. Is he angry? Sad? I honestly can't tell.

"I overheard what that girl said to you. Normally I don't get this upset…but she just kinda rubbed me the wrong way", his eyes harden as he explains himself. My face relaxes, and I fall silent. Apparently, Okita takes that as a sign for him to continue.

"Rude kids aren't that appealing to me…", there's a strange edge to his voice –which he doesn't seem to notice- that can be described as melancholy and nostalgia. It's definitely unlike him, even though I haven't known him for long. _I wonder if he has history with "rude kids"…_

"Okita-san…", I murmur under my breath. I guess he finally notices the change in the atmosphere when he suddenly replaces his frown with one of his warm smiles.

"Well, it's all ways nice to stick up for the polite kids, right?", he rubs my head gently and happily takes a bite from his dango stick.

"Mm, these are pretty sweet, you should try it", he suggests while pointing to my dango. I know he's trying to change the subject.

"…Okay", I go along with the sudden mood change and snack on my dango along with Okita as we walk our way to Doctor Matsumoto's house. _Why ask something if you know you won't get an answer?_

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**A bit of a shorter chapter, but things will pick up in the next chapter (and yes, you'll see Matsumoto's house in the next chapter). Thank you for reading through this chapter, and I hope you guys stick around to read more. I don't know when the next chapter will be posted, but I'm anxious to start writing it. Please provide your feedback with a review, I would really appreciate that! As always, have an awesome day!**


	6. Chapter 5: Warning Signs

**Hey guys! Just for your information, I usually update stories on weekends (most of the time it's Sunday afternoon, this just happens to be a rare exception), just incase you're wondering. It approximately takes me about two weeks to write a chapter. Anyway, thank you guys for your amazing feedback! It really encourages me to write interesting chapters for you guys each time, so thank you for your continued support! As for the story, this will definitely be a long one, but rest assured, the story isn't even near the halfway point. For now, I think it's safe to assume that my story will reach twenty chapters, and it will most likely exceed that number. Also, this chapter will be long, so brace yourselves! I won't waste more of your time blabbering on, so I'll let you continue reading this story. As always, enjoy!**

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Chapter 5: Warning Signs

After walking around town for some time throughout the busy morning, Okita and I finally reach Dr. Matsumoto's house. Unlike my father, Dr. Matsumoto had set up his own clinic right in his own house. Like my father, he's a busy man. I've only met him a few times before, but he all ways seemed like the kind of man who's passionate about helping others. My father puts a lot of trust in the man; after all, Doctor Matsumoto is the person I have to run to if I ever needed anything. Though the offer has all ways been on the table, I have tried my best in the past to not rely heavily on others. When Doctor Matsumoto sees me, I'm sure he'll be surprised. I haven't spoken to or seen him in years despite living in the same town.

Okita decides to wait by the house gate while I make my way toward the front door. I know it's rude to show up to one's house unannounced; I normally would have taken the time to write and send a letter, but my current circumstance did not provide me that luxury. Once I'm finally standing in front of the door, I suck in a huge gulp of air so I can announce myself. But my introduction dies before the words reach my tongue.

My eyes land on a folded piece of paper that's stuck in between the door. For a second, I think it's only a letter for Doctor Matsumoto, but when I take a closer glance at it, I realize that the note isn't addressed to the doctor. My name is written on the front of it. _A note for me?_ I carefully grab the paper from the door without ripping it apart. I unfold it and begin to read the contents that are meant for me.

_Chizuru,_

_I know this must be strange for me to write a letter to you, given that I haven't seen you in quite some time. But regardless, I'm supposed to be responsible for you if the event occurs that you may need me. I doubt you will ever read this, since I'm sure you will be all right without me, but I must inform you of my current whereabouts. There has recently been a virus outbreak near the southern rim of the South, and unfortunately, there are a lot of cases of ill patients. The matter has become so severe that my assistance is needed in order to prevent the virus from spreading to another town. If you are reading this letter, I am most likely gone. I'm not sure when I'll return, but from what I've informed you of all ready, I won't return home for at least a full month. That said, if you need me while I am gone, I regrettably can't be here to assist you. However, I doubt you will have to worry about this inconvenience because I am aware that your father, Kodou, will be back soon from his trip to the West. But if anything should go astray, please go to the Ueda house. They have close ties with Lord Shimura's men, and if you show them this letter, they will take care of anything you might need. Though they are busy people, they won't be hostile toward you. They are also well known, so please don't be shy about asking for directions if you are lost. I am truthfully sorry for my absence, and I hope that this letter will still be sticking out from my door unread when I return home. Please be careful._

_My sincerest apologies, Matsumoto Ryojun._

I stare at the letter for a long time. The date on it demonstrates that it was written two days ago. In the process of staring, my chest clenches with anxiety.

I really am on my own…

Even the person who I need to see the most right now isn't here. _Doctor Matsumoto just had to leave now of all times._ It's selfish of me to think that, since I know he's busy helping others, but I wonder how things could've been different if he was here right now. I have no idea what will happen now. I'm sure that Okita, as well as Hijikata, has his own questions to ask Doctor Matsumoto. However, it has been made clearly obvious by this letter that Okita won't get his chance anymore. Once again, I find myself wondering what will happen to me.

"What's wrong?", I haven't realized that Okita had stepped next to me until he spoke. I remain silent and simply hand him the letter to answer his question. His face is stoic at first as he reads it, but then his brows knit together, and I know that he finally discovered that Doctor Matsumoto isn't here. His eyes are sharp as he looks at the letter intensely. Like me, he stares at it for a long time; only instead of experiencing utter defeat, he scans the letter again in hot pursuit of any indication that the letter may be false.

But alas, he sighs deeply with frustration.

"Shit just had to get worse, didn't it?", I can't tell if he's talking to me or to himself. After a moment, his eyes meet mine without any sort of a playful glint behind them.

"You're just one tough egg to crack, huh?", by that I know I've become a hindrance to him, and I can't help but feel somewhat guilty. My eyes fall to look at my feet.

"…Well, it can't be helped. We'll just have to figure things out with Hijikata-san", Okita adds. I hardly want to deal with Hijikata again since I know he can strike fear into my heart, and I know that news of Doctor Matsumoto's absence won't put him in a good mood.

"But what about going to the Ueda house, just as Doctor Matsumoto had mentioned?", I bring my gaze up to meet Okita's. I'm not that interested in staying with a family that I don't know, but anything beats staying with group of foreign men that have all ready threatened to kill me. But if I end up staying at the Ueda house, I might lose my chance of finding out what happened to my father. Ironically, I want to stay with the westerners, even if that means I won't get the best hospitality from them.

"Hmm…I'm not sure about letting you stay with them since we don't know if we can trust them or not -even if we have a doctor's consent. Damn…why'd things have to get more complicated?", Okita folds his arms and closes his eyes in deep thought.

"Hijikata-san should've just listened to me when I suggested to kill her…", I barely hear Okita mumble that to himself in a lighthearted tone. My face gets pale, and I forget how to breathe momentarily.

"Y-You mean you're going to…?", I don't even have enough courage to finish my own question. Okita lifts a brow in my direction, and a devilish smirk that I almost detest seeing grows on his face.

"Don't start thinking you're out of the deep water just yet, kid", he chuckles briefly, and I instantly recall my horrifying encounter with him last night. _He's definitely on to me…_

"Anyway, enough chit-chat. Nothing's gonna get done if we just stand here", he proceeds to walk away from the door when all of the sudden, his body stiffens.

"…Okita-san?", I call, but he doesn't answer me. I start to walk up to him, but I stop once I notice he's clutching his throat. From where I stand, I begin to hear his breathing become raspy, and it almost looks like it takes a lot of energy out of him to simply inhale. _What's happening to him? _Suddenly, his knees drop to the ground.

"Okita-san?!", I ask more alert now. I instinctively start to rush to his side, but he swings an arm out in front of me.

"Stay back! I'll be fine", he growls at me. I stop, stunned by the hostility of his outburst. I see sweat accumulate on his now pale face. He says he's fine, but the expression on his face looks pained and parched. It's more like he went on an incredibly long journey through an arid desert without any food or water. I can't figure out what's wrong with him. _Is he sick? Is he dehydrated?_

Not only does he look parched, but he also looks as though he's trying to repress something inside of himself. I hear low groans escape his lips, but I know he's doing his best to silence himself. His eyelids are sealed tight, but for a brief moment they fly open, and I catch a glimpse of his eyes. There's something different about them. They're the same emerald color as all ways, but… I don't really know how to explain it. It sounds absurd in my head, but it feels like I'm seeing madness trying to break free from deep within him, like a furious tiger trying to claw its way out of a tiny birdcage. Oddly, the feeling is recognizable, but I can't identify how or why.

An empty pit forms inside my stomach. I can't stand around and do nothing while I watch what's happening to Okita. _I have to do something…even if Okita doesn't want my help. _

"Please wait here", I tell Okita, and I begin to speed my way past him. I'm about to run out through the gate of Doctor Matsumoto's house and cry for help, but then I instantly feel a strong hand trap my wrist like iron jaws. My eyes find Okita –still crouched on the ground- tugging me back to him roughly. Fear paralyzes my body when I stare at his dark, glaring eyes that can almost pin me down physically.

"I told you…_I'm fine_…", he almost snarls at me in between ragged and labored breaths. _Why is he so stubborn? Does he even care about his own health?_ My fear automatically vanishes, and I'm ready to snap back at him defiantly. Right now I care less if he's the man who's holding me hostage and threatening to kill me. Any right-minded person would've sent for help if they'd seen Okita struggling for air.

"No. You're not _fine_", I glare back at him. I'm not going to step down for trying to do the right thing, even if my actions come back to steal my life away later. I see Okita's eyes blink with sudden surprise at my response, but I'm too enraged by emotion to stop and consider what it'd meant. I gather energy in my detained arm, ready to pull away from Okita's grip with full force –even if I know it won't work against his incompatible strength. But just before I pull back, Okita releases my wrist gently. _What…?_

Without hesitating, Okita springs up from the ground in a fast blur. I expect him to do something I won't particularly like, but he does nothing.

He only grins.

It's that same half-smile that he almost all ways has on. _He's not angry with me?_ What becomes of his heated glare softens into a tranquilizing gaze that has the ability to erase everything horrible about him.

My thoughts leave me. I'm at a complete loss for words. The frustration I had only seconds ago has dissipated.

"Um…", is all I can manage to verbalize.

"Hmm?", Okita waits for me to say something with his casual face. I blink repeatedly while trying to put together what just happened. It's as if the sickness that Okita just experienced never even occurred. He looks so composed that I start to the think about the possibility of me imagining everything I just saw took place. _No, I wasn't imagining things…_

"Okita-san…are you okay?", I ask with a concerned hint in my voice. The grin never leaves Okita's face.

"What do you mean?", he asks back in his normal happy tone. There's still sweat on his face, but other than that he looks completely normal.

"…Weren't you feeling sick a while ago?", I question. Okita snorts a laugh and smiles at me.

"Who? Me? I feel completely fine. I guess I just have a weak stomach for southern food", he assures me in a confident tone, but something in his eyes seems wistful.

"Are you sure? You looked like you were in pain", I press on.

"I told you I'm fine, didn't I? Besides, I haven't eaten southern food in a while, I guess I'm just not used to eating it anymore", he seems convinced that he's right, and his body barely shows any signs of ever being ill. _Maybe he just has mild food poisoning…_ I want to believe that, but… _No, if Okita says he's fine, then I should leave it at that._ It won't do either of us any good if I keep pestering him about something that's minor.

"…Okay", I finally resign. Okita smiles at me once again and pats my shoulder.

"I'm sorry to worry you like that, I didn't mean to sound all that harsh", he says. _Whoa. Where did that come from? _I hardly picture Okita to be the kind of person who apologizes for…well _anything_.

"It's my body, I think I have a pretty good understanding of what goes on with it", his smile fades to glance at me seriously.

"So you gotta learn to trust people when they say they're fine", he doesn't sound like he's scolding me, but rather he's trying to lecture me.

"…You're right", I say softly. How can _I _know what's going on with him? Being the daughter of a highly skilled doctor, I believe that I have some medical training to at least nurse people back to health. Of course, I obviously don't have all the skills that a normal doctor would have, but I can be useful as well. Then again, I can't exactly help Okita if there's nothing really wrong with him. Plus, who else can better tell what's going on with him than he himself? _Maybe I was just over exaggerating…_

"Now, let's get going", Okita gives me a quick smile, and we soon start to make our way back to the magistrate's office.

I feel slightly uneasy. Though I've spent most of my time with Okita more than the other westerners, I hardly know anything about him. He's still a stranger to me. I only know that he's from the west, cunning, and he can kill. I don't know what to anticipate from him. One moment he can be teasing me, and the next he's threatening me. I try not to overthink anything about him since as fate would have it, we'll probably never see each other again in the future once I've found my father.

As we walk, Okita gazes down at me.

"That kimono really does suit you well", he complements me, and I feel like a fool for blushing.

"U-Um, thank you. It was Nagakura-san who bought it for me…", I try to change the topic smoothly. Okita's grin drops as he curves a brow up.

"Is that what you were told? Well, I guess Shinpachi-san wants to take the credit for everything…", his words surprise me. Naturally, I have to ask him to clarify.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Shinpachi-san was getting on my ass earlier about ditching him with that horse from last night. So he made me pick out and buy that kimono in order to pay him back", Okita says. I can feel my eyes widening at the revelation.

"So you were the one who…", I don't even have to finish my sentence. For some reason that I don't know why, when Okita had said that he bought the kimono for me, my heart fluttered.

"When I first saw you this morning, I recognized you immediately once I saw you wearing that kimono. I was waiting for you to thank me, but I guess you all ready thanked someone else for it…", Okita's eyes soften, and his lips thin into a straight line. I feel like I'm staring at a lost puppy. _Did I upset him?_

"Oh! Uh, thank you!", I immediately stop and bow in front of him. I end up staring at the dirt ground with shame and embarrassment. The only person I thanked for the kimono was Saito, and I didn't even remember to thank Nagakura. After a moment, I hear Okita sigh heavily.

"Wow, you're _really _gullible…", he half-mumbles to himself, but he sounds amazed or bewildered. I stand straight and almost scowl at him.

"That's not a really nice thing to say out loud…", I scold him softly without trying to anger him. He blinks, and his jaw loosens slightly. The next second he's laughing, and I'm utterly puzzled.

"…Oh man…you really are interesting", he says in between amused laughs. I'm still lost.

"I can't wait to see _all_ of your reactions", he adds with a wolfish grin. _There's that grin again…_

"Um…why do you say that?", I ask. I see his expression return to one of his scarier faces; a devilish grin and darkening eyes.

"Oh, I think you all ready know the answer to that", he says slyly. That's right. I shouldn't even forget for an instant that he knows I lied to him and the others. Whatever cheerful atmosphere there was a moment ago has fled the scene. I can now guess that he's referring to seeing my reactions when he uncovers my secret out loud. Sure, it'll be fun for him to see, but it's the exact opposite on my end.

We say nothing to one another as we stand in the middle of the street. People pass us, and life resumes around us. But between Okita and I, it feels like were trapped in a cloud of chaos –or at least _I'm_ trapped. The silence between us is maddening. _He's planning to confront me now, isn't he?_ Truth be told, –despite my nerves- I'm ready to confront him too. It's agonizing to be near him this long without mentioning anything from last night. If I'm going to be punished anyway, I might as well get this over with now.

Without talking, I grab Okita's sleeve and begin to lead him away from the busy street. He doesn't say anything either, but I don't even have to look at him to know that he's still grinning. Determination spreads throughout my entire being like a forest fire. I can't back down now, so I might as well confront Okita with a confident face. Eventually, I finally bring him into a small alley that's far away from any other kind of social interaction. I let go of his sleeve and turn to face him squarely.

"I must say, I didn't take you for this kind of girl", he practically purrs at me.

"I-I just want to talk to you, that's all", I try to keep myself controlled, but my pink cheeks betray me.

"Is that so? How cute of you", his lips pull back into a mischievous grin, and I force myself to not give in to my temptation of patting my hot cheeks down. _No, now's not the time to get flustered. _With that in mind, I intake a large amount of air to begin.

"Last night…you thought I lied…", I say in a steady voice, but my heart is louder than a thunderstorm.

"Ah, so you're deciding to be brave about this. You sure got some nerve, kid", he says, and for a moment I think I see a tiny flicker of respect in his eyes.

"…But you're wrong about one thing. I didn't think you lied. I _know_ you did", he corrects me. Immediately, I can feel the tables being turned against me. Nevertheless, I can't bow out now.

"…And how do you know that?", I ask. I scold myself in my head when I feel nervous sweat droplets trailing down my back slowly.

"Do you really need to ask that?", he smiles at me, and I have to consider his words. He _did _see me in the forest unscratched, despite all of the blood on me. Yes, that was a red flag for him, but still… _Was that really enough for him to see right through me? Does he really know what my secret is?_

"Okay, then what did I lie about?", I question daringly –or at least try to.

"All right, I'll get right to the point then. There's something…_different_ about you", his smile fades so he can gaze at me more seriously. He stops and double checks to see if we really are alone in the alley. Whatever he's about to say is definitely something that mustn't be heard by anyone else except for me.

"…Those guys who attacked you last night weren't just crazy people playing around with swords. They're sorta powerful, I guess –that is if you don't know shit on how to defend yourself properly. There's no way any normal kid could've faced them and lived to tell the tale without a scratch", he continues. Whether he knows it or not, he's rapidly coming closer to figuring me out.

"Not only was it weird finding you alive last night, but you didn't even have a small fresh cut on you. Not to mention that you had way too much blood on you as well. Sure, some of it could've been from those rogues when I had cut 'em down, but that couldn't even begin to cover an inch", as he speaks, the confidence that I had earlier abandons me.

"And when you said that you escaped from a burning building –_twice_, there's no doubt in my mind that something's strange about you. You can guess where I'm going with this, right?", he adds. I nod my head solemnly. He stays silent to let me say something, but my subconscious can't even come up with the words to speak.

"…Are you going to tell everyone else?", I ask cautiously without thinking the question through. Okita grins. _Oh no…_

"No", he says it casually that I anticipate he's wanting me to get false hopes. _He has to be lying to tease me._

"Please don't tease me. Are you going to tell-?", I try to repeat my question, but Okita cuts me off.

"Seriously, I said no", disbelief clouds my mind when he repeats his answer.

"Why…?", I say skeptically.

"I don't think you're a threat to us, so there's no point in telling everyone else about your…condition. So long as you swear to keep it under wraps", his words make my heart soar with glee.

"I swear I won't tell anyone!", I say hastily while relief boosts my energy. Okita laughs at me, to the point where he has to hold his abdomen in place.

"Slow down there, Chizuru-chan. I may agree to keep my mouth shut, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna take my eyes off of you. You've gotten yourself into some deep shit, remember?", he warns me nicely.

"…Right", I say. Even though I'm overjoyed, I still don't know why Okita –of all people- is agreeing to not say anything about my slip last night.

"Um… You're not going to ask me what's wrong with me?", I choose my words carefully.

"It's none of business. As far as I'm concerned, I'm only supposed to keep watch over you. That's all", Okita says nonchalantly. I'm actually relieved that he's not going to interrogate me about my secret.

"But remember, if you tell anyone about this, I'll kill you", he threatens with his cruel grin.

Despite my change in luck, I can't get my hopes up so suddenly. I'm still going to be under the westerners' watch until they find my father and clear the situation up with him. And as Okita had explained, I'm not supposed to tell anyone –including the other soldiers- of my secret. That means staying out of trouble, especially sharp objects. I still have to keep quiet about what I'd seen yesterday as well. I'm not exactly sure what's going on with this whole entire deal about the masked men, but a part of me doesn't want to search for that gruesome truth either. I just want to find my father and have my normal live back.

At least I'll be okay around Okita, as long as I keep my end of the bargain. I'm kind of surprised that he let me off so easily. Well, not exactly "let off"; he's still going to keep a watchful eye on me. Still, it amazes me that I've settled things with Okita without any sort of compensation on my end. I wonder why he did that. It's also strange how he emphasized my mistake of lying last night, but now he's agreeing to keeping my secret safe -for now at least. _Oh well, it's not like it matters anyway._ I should be grateful that Okita has given me a second chance.

After my "discussion" with Okita, we finally approach the magistrate's office. We're about to walk around to the back of the compound, when I suddenly see Nagakura running straight toward us.

"Hold on there, Souji!", he shouts to get Okita's attention. Okita's green eyes lazily find Nagakura.

"Oh, it's you. What do you want?", he says carelessly to Nagakura, who is now standing right in front of us.

"Nice to see you too, princess", Nagakura snarls sarcastically; however, Okita seems less than unfazed.

"Quit beating around the bush. What do want with me?"

"We still haven't dealt with that fuckin' horse from last night, and you owe me more than just one drink later on. So move your ass and help me out", Nagakura gnarls harshly.

"Now, now, Shinpachi-san. There's no need to get all sassy like Hijikata-san", Okita puts a friendly hand on the other man's shoulder. _Why does he like to tease Hijikata?_

"You bastard, don't try to coax your way out of this. You're still helping me out with that horse", Nagakura says. Finally, Okita sighs.

"Fine. Let's just deal with this quickly", he begins to walk toward another building –which I assume it must be a stable- that's close to the magistrate's office. Nagakura finally makes eye contact with me.

"Chizuru-chan, you can come too, if you want", he offers with a beaming smile that doesn't match his earlier mood. I don't really want to return to my room and do nothing, so I nod my head excitedly and follow Nagakura and Okita to the stable.

As I walk with the other men, I recall that Nagakura mentioned that the horse he had to deal with was a hassle. Though I haven't seen Nagakura in battle, it only takes one look at his muscular body to know that he can do serious damage. It baffles me how one strong soldier could easily be overcome by just one loose horse. Curiosity peaks my interest, so I'm more than inclined to pay this famous horse a visit.

My mind naturally wanders to Chibi. I wonder if he's still alive. Despite helping him escape from the burning barn, the woods can be just as dangerous to a panicked horse. There have been several wolf sightings that have been recorded in the South, and I'm sure that a pack of hungry canines would attempt to hunt down a lone horse. _I hope he's still alive…_ My heart begins to twist in place for my horse. I don't think I could ever overcome Chibi's death if it were to happen.

Okita, Nagakura, and I finally reach the stable. A few horse heads appear out from their stalls to regard us momentarily. All of them seem calm and normal, and Okita seems to make the same observation.

"You better not be over exaggerating, Shinpachi-san. I don't see a crazy horse anywhere", Okita does his best not to laugh.

"Well you wouldn't know how insane this horse gets 'cause you didn't have to put up with it last night", Nagakura retorts.

"He's all the way in back", Nagakura then begins to lead Okita to the last stall. I stay put far away so I don't get in the way of the "crazy" horse. As soon as Nagakura steps in front of the gate, loud kicking noises begin to roughly slam against the gate.

"See what I mean?", I hear Nagakura say to Okita.

"Looks like we gotta get a little rough with this one", Okita says. Both men prepare themselves in front of the gate. I notice until now that Nagakura has a rope in his hands, which I assume will be used to restrain the horse. Okita carefully puts a hand on the lock of the gate. After a moment, both men give each other a firm nod, then Okita slides the lock open.

The moment the gate is loose, a dapple-grey horse barges through with almost blinding speed, almost knocking both men to the ground. The horse made it look like the gate was made out of feathers. Whatever drives him, the horse utilizes that energy to kick in all directions with his powerful haunches. It immediately becomes impossible for Nagakura to get the rope around the horse's neck.

"Shit! He's not gonna stand still!", Nagakura yells. Ears pinned sharply back, the horse hollers angry sounds, and before I can comprehend what's happening, I see the horse charge past Nagakura and Okita. Then I see the horse running at full speed straight toward me.

"Chizuru-chan! Watch out!", I hear Okita scream at me. I should listen to him, but I don't. I stay in place and extend my arms open.

"Stop!", I yell at the wild horse that I know all too well, and he does just that. The horse had halted right in front of me, and I can feel his heavy breathing on my face. To be honest, I'm just as overwhelmed as he is.

"You wouldn't run over me, right?", I say lightheartedly to the horse. The horse's ears perk up and listen to every word I say. In less than a second, the horse cheers loudly before lowering his head next to mine and licking my face. My hands stroke his forehead and pink nose happily.

"I knew you would recognize me, Chibi!", I praise while I feel my whole body being consumed my mirth. I thought I would never see Chibi again. Being reunited with my horse brings back my hope that not everything in my life has crumbled away.

"_Chibi?!_ You know this horse?", Nagakura asks me disbelievingly. He's trying to approach me cautiously without getting attacked by Chibi.

"Yes, he's my horse. You can come closer, he won't hurt you", I tell Nagakura.

"That shit-crazy animal is yours?", Nagakura is still in shock. Okita nears me with an amused grin and fascinated eyes.

"…That actually explains a lot", he says, and I lift a brow at his direction.

"How so?", I ask him. Okita's eyes land on Chibi.

"Shinpachi-san and I were looking for your old man's place in the forest, then he showed up all panicky and wild", Okita motions at Chibi as he talks to me.

"Yeah, and that's when you decided to ditch me", Nagakura adds while stepping closer to us.

"I didn't ditch you because I wanted to", Okita says to Nagakura before facing me again.

"Anyway, I was able to track down where your horse came from, and that's how I found you", Okita continues with a smile. Apparently after I had helped Chibi escape from the burning barn, he had darted into the woods, and along the way he encountered Okita and Nagakura.

"If it weren't for Chibi here, I would've never saved your life, and you would've dead by now", he states. My wide eyes find Chibi again. The only reason I'm alive right now is because he ran into Okita and Nagakura in the woods. If that would've never happened, I don't even want to think about what those masked men would've done to me. What Chibi did to save my life is nothing short of a miracle.

"Whoa, so are you saying that this horse saved Chizuru-chan's life?", Nagakura is just as surprised as I am.

"I guess you could look at it that way", Okita says.

"Wow, this horse must really love you", Nagakura says to me with a cheery smile.

"You're right", I smile back and plant a thankful kiss on the bridge of Chibi's nose.

"So the horse gets a kiss and I don't, even though I saved you too? You can be pretty heartless, Chizuru-chan", I can feel my face turning into a hot scarlet mess when I hear Okita say that to me.

"I-I hardly know you!", I say hastily. Once again, Okita laughs at me, and this time Nagakura joins him.

"Oh Chizuru-chan", Nagakura throws a big arm around my shoulder.

"One thing you gotta learn about Souji is that you can't take everything he says seriously", he says before he breaks into another fit of laughter.

"You guys…", I start to whine, but I only make the men resign into more laughter that I'm embarrassingly not a part of.

Though I won't ever see the end of Okita's teasing, I at least have Chibi with me. It's relieving that a piece from home is still alive. For once, my situation is starting to look bright. Okita will keep my secret, I have Chibi, and soon we'll find my father. Or at least that's what I hope will happen…

The rest of day, I'm imprisoned in my room. Saito came by with all of my meals and explained to me that I'm not allowed to walk around the magistrate's office without someone watching over me. If I were to stroll around the compound carelessly, southern soldiers might question my reason for being here, and that of course involves telling them the truth, which is forbidden in my case. Though solitary isn't something I'll ever grow used to, I have to abide by the westerners' demands if they're to help me later on.

Throughout the day, Hijikata has been in regular meetings with their supervisors. As it turns out, foreigners aren't exactly welcome unless they have a valid reason for being here. Though the westerners say they're looking for my father, the southerners on the other hand claim that they can take over the search for my father. However, Hijikata has strict orders from the West to retrieve my father. Eventually, both sides of the argument agreed to let the westerners stay and search for my father; however, they are only permitted to stay in the South for one more week.

Later that night, I hear that Okita went out alone to collect more information on my father. I shouldn't worry about him, but I can't forget what happened earlier this morning. He looked very dehydrated, and he should've stayed to recover, but that never happened. Maybe he felt like he needed fresh air. Despite the hot spring days, the South can get cool at night, but they can also be refreshing. Still, it's odd that he went alone, and I'm sure he won't find new information throughout the night that he wouldn't be able to find during the day. _Stop it. He's a grown man, he can take care of himself._ My thoughts tell me not to worry, but I've grown more on edge ever since the events of the night before. I finally sigh. Worrying about anything won't get me anywhere. I decide it's best for me to get some sleep instead…

A week passes by like years. The sakura trees have lost all of their soft pink petals, and there's still no sign of my father. Every passing day I grow more and more depressed. I've been stuck in my room most of the time, and I only leave when someone accompanies me to help take care of Chibi. I wasn't even allowed to help look for my father throughout the town. Okita had to tell Hijikata about our run-in with Kiyomi, and from that, Hijikata decided it was best for me to not go out at all. If people who recognized me started to ask questions about the new group of men I was spending more time with, it would raise more suspicion.

Solitary is proving to be harmful to my mental strength. My thoughts are darker, and my fears expand. Sometimes Nagakura feels sorry for me, so he'll come to my room and join me for meals. Hijikata and Saito visit me from time to time and try to inform me of my father's whereabouts. As for Okita, well…he never changes.

At last, it's the final night for these westerners. Saito fetches me from my room and leads me to one of the common rooms near the back of the compound. I know they're about to tell me something important because all of the westerners are present, and everyone has a serious gaze fixated on me. Once I take my spot on the floor, Hijikata begins to speak.

"As you know all ready, tomorrow we're going back to the West", he says flatly. I nod my head and remain silent.

"The southerners will keep searching for Kodou-san around the area, as for you…", he falls silent to take in my expression before he continues.

"I'm not going to allow you stay with the Ueda family. You know way too much about that shit from a week ago, and there's no way in hell I'll let you run free with the chance that you might let your tongue wag too much", his gaze hardens. I know killing me isn't an option for these men, but neither is letting me go an alternative. However, there's another sinkhole because none of these westerners can stay in the South to watch over me.

"I know this is going to sound demanding, but there's no other way around it. You're going to have to come with us", though I was half-expecting it, I still can't take Hijikata's statement with a straight face.

"…So what am I going to do in the West?", I ask.

"Nothing. It'll be the exact same thing there. You'll get a room, and you're gonna stay in it", Hijikata answers me bluntly. I can't help but frown. _That means I'll stay alone in my room again…_ The thought almost brings tears to my eyes. The idea of solitary isn't the only thing that's keeping me down. I'll be leaving my home. I've never even come close to stepping an inch away from the South. My trip won't simply be to another town, but to a completely different country I hardly know anything about.

"What about Chibi? Is he coming with me?", I suddenly remember to ask.

"Sadly yes…", I hear Nagakura grumble.

"Oh come on, Shinpachi-san. See this as an opportunity to bond with that horse. I'm sure you'll end up getting along", Okita says with devilish grin and teasing eyes. Nagakura had spent some time with me taking care of Chibi, and for some unexplainable reason, Chibi doesn't seem to enjoy Nagakura's presence, and vice versa.

"Don't think you're getting off so easy, Souji-", Nagakura starts to protest, but Okita cuts him off.

"Just remember that I don't owe you anything anymore", he says with a victorious smirk.

"You bastard-!", Nagakura begins, but Hijikata is quick to interfere.

"Shut it. You sound like a bunch of whiny brats", he shoots a quick menacing glare to the other men.

"…Are you still going to search for my father?", I take the opportunity to get back on subject.

"Yeah, but we'll be looking from our end in the West", Hijikata answers.

"Doctor Yukimura had disappeared in the West, so there's still a possibility that we might find him there", Saito comments to me in an assuring tone. I nod slowly in understanding, but it's hard to put my emotions together. I'm nervous to be traveling to the West with men I've only known for a week, and I'm anxious about leaving my home. But another part of me wants to go the West. There's still a chance that my father is alive, and I can continue my search there.

"So it's settled then. We'll leave early tomorrow morning-", Hijikata gets interrupted by the loud sounds of running footsteps moving past the room from outside.

"Hey! Move your asses! We have work to do!", I hear a man shout. Suddenly, everyone's attention is focused on the commotion outside. More footsteps are heard.

"What the hell is going on?!", another man asks in an alarmed tone.

"There's a dead body outside!", someone else answers. In unison, everyone's eyes go wide and knowing looks are exchanged after hearing that. Then Hijikata jumps from the floor and slides the door open quickly. I now get a view of southern soldiers running in hallways of the magistrate's office while several commands are being shouted.

"Let's go!", Hijikata directs his comrades before he storms out of the room. In no time, Saito and Nagakura follow their leader, and Okita is ready to do the same, but he catches my uncertain look.

"Can't leave you behind, so you might as well tag along", he says.

"Okay", I get up with him, and we both run out the door.

The halls are crowded with southern soldiers, but everyone is running, so Okita and I make it out of the compound quickly. We follow the soldiers' trail, but we don't end up running for long. It's dark outside, but several torches have been lit, giving me a good view of my surroundings. I know we're standing close to a shrine for the Unknown that resides in between the magistrate's office and the town. I look around and notice that civilians have also gathered outside as well. From where I stand, I hear horrified screams and gasps. An uncomfortable shiver runs through my entire body. Okita and I can't get a view of the body since more and more people have started to crowd around the shrine's entrance like vultures. It feels like the whole town has gathered. I do see southern soldiers trying to back the townspeople away at a good distance from the entrance. Feeling the need to know what's going on, I turn to a man that happens to be standing close to me.

"…Excuse me, sir, but what just happened?", I inquire shyly. The man looks down at me with a grim expression.

"Some lunatic decided to hurt a poor girl from around here. That son of a bitch killed her and left her corpse here", he does his best to keep his voice from rising, but anger and detest are projected by his small hard eyes. I nod solemnly while swallowing hard.

"I'm gonna go check these things out, so just close your eyes if you see something scary", Okita gives me an attempt of a weak smile, but the severity of the issue has drained his optimism, which makes me all the more frightened.

"…All right", is all I say, and I follow closely behind Okita as we make our way through the crowd toward the shrine. The closer we get, the more terrifying the scene becomes. The area reeks of corruption. Scowls turn into grimaces. Women begin to weep while hatred burns in the eyes of angry men. Whatever I'm about to see is for sure disparate among all cruel and ghastly atrocities.

Closer now, I catch a glimpse of a small roof the shrine's torii. I walk on my tiptoes to see if I can find the others. Eventually I find Hijikata, Saito, and Nagakura standing together from a distance. Hijikata's frigid amethyst eyes meet with Okita briefly. They exchange a look that means the situation isn't bad; it's unspeakable.

Nonetheless, Okita and I continue walking.

We take a few more steps.

Okita then stops in front of me abruptly, and I almost smack my face onto his back. I step to the side to glance at his face. His jaw drops slightly before it clenches tightly. His green eyes are lit up like a burning flare. That's something I haven't seen in his eyes before; however, it's not hard to distinguish what he's feeling. Pure rage threatens to escape past his lips. I begin to turn my head toward the direction of his straightforward glare, but he stops me.

"You shouldn't look", he warns me, but the edge on his voice is almost…remorseful. Now I'm beyond worried. However, I get the feeling that the sight ahead of me is something that I mustn't run away from.

"I…I have to see this", I insist seriously while expecting Okita to just drag me away, but he only nods and braces for my reaction. I fist my hands at my side and hold my breath as I step in front of Okita to get a better view of the torii.

I was expecting to see something chilling to the bone, but what I see is more daunting than one sees in nightmares. I would've never imagined it before. But the sight is forever imprinted in my mind. In the back of my head, I begin to wish that I'd listened to Okita.

A strong rope that's tied to the torri is wrapped around a girl's almost disfigured neck like a snake. Besides the girl being lynched, she has deep cuts penetrating her skin throughout her entire body, and blood trickles down from her wounds to drip onto the crimson pool beneath her. Her beautiful kimono is now torn to shreds, and it doesn't even do justice of covering the girl's most sacred areas. Despite the inconceivable sight, there's more that manages to stagger and scar my soul. My body becomes colder than ice.

I know the girl.

Though she's hardly recognizable now, I only have to look at her hair to know who she is. Her once beautifully assorted strawberry-blonde hair is now loose and disheveled. I can swear that my heart stopped beating. But I can't manage to look away despite my thoughts screaming at me to run away.

I observe one more detail that almost drives me to the brink of insanity.

Written in blood across Kiyomi's chest, the text whispers to me in a soft voice before the image of an emotionless white mask is conveyed in my mind.

"All will be revealed"

My gaze blurs, and I start to see tiny black dots spread and expand. Darkness consumes me. I begin to feel myself falling backwards, and I expect to land roughly on my head and back. But the crash never comes. I only feel strong arms catch my fragile body and pull me closer into warm and strong embrace. Everything else that happens next is forgotten as I slip away from reality…

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**I hope that you guys enjoyed this long chapter! Please forgive me if there are any errors I might have missed. Please leave a review for this chapter, I would highly appreciate it! So, what's going on with Okita in this chapter? I'll give you a hint, it's not tuberculosis. Also, feel free to share your predictions and speculations! Also (and this is a ****little off topic), I haven't been able write my other story, _Hakuouki: The Will to Live_, because my saved writing is on my old laptop, and I still haven't had the time to transfer those files to my new one. However, I will soon be doing what I can to continue that story, so I'm very sorry for this unexpected hiatus. Other than that, thank you for reading this chapter, and I can't wait to write more for you guys soon! As always, have an awesome day!**


	7. Chapter 6: The West

**Why can't it be May all ready? I'm ready for my two major classes to end, that way I can have more time to write. On another note, I've also made a tumblr account (hakuoukiandmocha11), and I'm still learning how to use it, so advice would be nice. Anyway, I haven't taken all of my time to revise this since I've been having very painful stomach cramps, and they practically ruined my prom night, so please bear with me. As always, enjoy!**

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Chapter 6: The West

My eyes flutter open, and it takes me a while to clear my hazy vision. I instantly recognize the ceiling of my room, but then I quickly notice a man staring down at me. His beautiful emerald eyes study me intently.

It's Okita.

He gives me a small smile that causes my heart beat to falter in rhythm. _I must be dreaming…_ The thought conjures my own smile. _I might as well relish this dream…_

It still astounds me sometimes how Okita's features look so gentle and kind, like his physique alone can be enough to tell anyone what a humble and optimistic man he is. His looks are so deceiving that the image I saw of him in the forest with his bloodstained sword seems like something I could've seen from a nightmare. _If only he were always nice…_

"It's about time you wake up, sleepyhead", he greets in his normal lighthearted voice, but his tone has a precautious edge to it. My eyes widen after I zap out of my reverie, realizing that I'm in fact _not_ dreaming.

"Hmm…?", I groan as I try to pinpoint what happened to me while at the same time trying to seem unfazed by Okita. I just hope that he doesn't think too much about my zany smile that I gave him. He doesn't tease me any further –which is surprising and relieving to me-, but his eyes are soft and repentant –something that's definitely unlike him. _Oh no, what's wrong…?_

After a brief moment of just staring at Okita's eyes in silence, I start to recall the hidden fragments from earlier tonight. _I passed out…and Okita must have caught me and carried me back to my room._

I'm about to thank him for what he did, but then I find out that we're not alone. On the other side next to my futon, Hijikata has his frigid gaze locked onto me. His stern eyes trigger memories that I'd rather forget.

…Kiyomi is dead. And to make matters worse, she was brutally murdered. The memory of her corpse almost causes me to throw up. Seeing her dead was unlike watching Okita kill the two masked men in the forest. I knew Kiyomi, and though we weren't friends, her dead body still has an irrevocable impact on me. A part of me feels dense, and even sad, but I can see that now isn't the time for my startled reactions.

"Time to start talking, kid", Hijikata hisses at me coldly. Now I feel like I'm trapped within a nightmare instead of a sweet dream. With all of my mental resistance, I restrain myself from whimpering. I sit up from bed and fix Hijikata a waiting look.

"Souji said that the deceased girl was the one that both of you bumped into last week. Now don't bullshit me anymore. Who exactly is Suzuki Kiyomi?", he clarifies for me harshly. His eyes are just as frightening as Okita's dark, glaring ones. However, I know that Hijikata isn't the type who toys with his victims. He's as merciless as death. My heart rises to my throat as I stare at his piercing eyes.

"Sh-She is- _was_ a girl I knew ever since I was child…", I start out nervously while doing my best to mask all of my inner screaming.

"From what I saw, it didn't look like you girls got along with each other all that much", Okita comments. Hijikata nods in agreement while still holding me in place with his eyes alone.

"We did some digging about this Kiyomi girl, and everyone pretty much said that no one from around here would've tried to kill her. She was envied, but neither did she suffer from any threats. _You_, on the other hand, had some unresolved issues with her. Gotta ask if those issues are now _dealt_ with…", I catch Hijikata's underlying message. _He thinks I'm involved with Kiyomi's death. _A cold shiver runs up my spine at the thought. Now I realize that I have difficulty swallowing; nonetheless, I manage what I can before I speak.

"…I was never close with Kiyomi-chan. She did things to me that I particularly didn't enjoy, but…I never hated her. I never would've done anything to hurt her, I just ignored her most of the time", I testify my honest feelings.

"Then are you trying to say that her death was just a coincidence? Sorry, but I find that kinda hard to believe", Okita says with a mocking chuckle, but his eyes are still...regretful.

"Souji has a point. There have been many 'coincidences' lately, and most of them involve your ass. Care to explain before I throw you out?", Hijikata threatens me coldly, which in turn causes my throat to dry up. If I don't answer him, I'm dead. If I don't give him the correct response, I'm dead. Suddenly I realize the cold truth that these westerners have enough reasons to kill me.

"I…I don't really know what's going on myself… But I didn't do anything to Kiyomi-chan, I just…don't know how to prove that…", I say with a shaky voice I can't control. Their argument makes sense. All of the events that had happened are somehow revolved around me. The rumored masked men attacked me on the same night I discovered my father was missing, and the same night that I learned these westerners were looking for my father as well. And a week after I had my unpleasant encounter with Kiyomi, she was found dead, and her corpse was conveniently close to the magistrate's office. The situation isn't looking good for me. Okita notices I fall silent, so he utilizes this opportunity to speak up.

"But…there are several things I can't sort out. I mean, Chizuru-chan has been with us for the entire night, plus she's been cooped up in her room all week. There's no way she could've sneaked out in the first place", I'm surprised that Okita's trying to defend me, or at least he's open minded about understanding my side of the story. Still, whether he cares or not, he's helping me tremendously. My wide gaze stares at him with awestruck wonder.

"True… And I don't think she's capable of killing anyone. But we can't ignore the possibility that she can have connections to someone who would get his hands dirty", Hijikata rebuts to Okita while giving me a quick preview of his terrifying glare.

"That's highly unlikely…", Okita trials off into silence. His hard eyes focus on the floor attentively as he brings up a hand to stroke his chin. Somehow I find it odd that he hasn't threatened to kill me, and it's even stranger that he's actually trying to help me out.

"…You think it could've been _them_?", he asks Hijikata without shifting his gaze from the floor.

"Maybe…but there's no direct proof", Hijikata furrows his brows with pensiveness.

"…But it wouldn't surprise me if it's _them_. They've been causing all sorts of mayhem and fucking everything up, especially around _her_…", his violet eyes slide to mine. It doesn't take me long to put together the unclear parts of their conversation.

The masked men.

_Who else could it had been?_

"We should still consider having a wide range of suspects, though…", it doesn't sound like Hijikata's suggesting it, but rather commanding it. Nonetheless, I ignore him since I'm so lost in thought. However, his words cause my mind to reel, and before I can filter what I say, I speak up.

"No, it was _them_", I say confidently without realizing it until two pairs of wide eyes find me.

"How can _you_ be so sure?", Hijikata asks suspiciously to me while his eyes narrow further.

"Um…", I've now put myself in a tighter position that's impossible to escape from unless I answer him. I can feel my stomach tying into more than just one knot. Both Hijikata and Okita wait for my reply expectantly. _Just tell them the truth. Besides, there's no other way around it._ Before I begin, I fist my hands to keep them from shaking.

"…When the first masked man came up to me, he told me _exactly_ what was written on Kiyomi-chan's body…", I say steadily.

"…_All will be revealed_…", Okita recalls solemnly without meeting anyone's eyes.

"That could be evidence that connects with the masked men, but as far the public knows, they're still just rumors told by someone who'd almost passed out drunk... And what if some crazy kid decided to use those scary rumors to his advantage and killed the girl himself?", Hijikata speculates out loud.

"You mean like an imposter posing as one of the masked men? I doubt it, but it's still possible", Okita entertains Hijikata's question.

"However, if it really was one of the masked men behind all of this, then it only enforces the idea that they're after you", Hijikata says to me. It takes me a while to process his words in my head.

"…Why? What could they possibly want from me?", I almost moan the question.

"Perhaps you're worth something to them because you're Kodou-san's daughter…", Okita says.

"Could be. It could also explain why he's been missing, but that idea is a bit of a stretch", Hijikata adds. Before his statement can be elaborated on, the door slides open, and Saito and Nagakura step in.

"Ugh… Seems like we'll never leave this place", Nagakura groans as he takes a seat next to Okita, and Saito takes a spot next to Hijikata.

"You find anything?", Hijikata asks.

"As to who could've killed the girl, no one really knows, but people here are starting to panic", Nagakura says.

"Apparently this isn't the first murder in the South in a while. Six other people had died before we had arrived, but all within the time frame of Doctor Yukimura's absence", Saito adds. Of course, how did I forget? The reason why I'd been scared to travel at night was because I feared that I could've run into the killer of those six innocent people. Murder is rare thing in the South, so news about six individuals being slaughtered in just less than two weeks had spawned fear in everyone. Kiyomi's death is likely to have an even more frightening effect.

"I did a quick run through of those victims to see if they were connected in any way. They had all been killed at night, and their corpses were found the next morning. Their records report having more than just one fatal cut, and that the ultimate cause of death was blood loss. However, all of the bodies barely had a drop of blood left", Saito continues.

"So what happened to all of that blood? Did it just decide to fly away?", Hijikata asks sarcastically, but there isn't any sort of humor in his voice. Saito shakes his head side to side before speaking again.

"Aside from that, these victims were also important citizens to the southern community. They range from historians, politicians, soldiers…and one monk as well", Saito adds coolly.

"Whoever this prick is that killed all of those people sure had the balls to mess with the wrong kind of crowds. He's a real son of bitch for killing that poor old monk too", Nagakura doesn't bother to hide his distaste.

"Do you think those murders could be related to the girl's death, Hijikata-san?", Souji asks.

"I'm not sure… But for argument's sake, lets say it was the masked men that killed everyone. Why would they target all of those important men and decide to switch to some rich girl?", Hijikata says.

"…Dammit, none of this makes any sense", Nagakura grunts. Frankly, I agree with his statement. No one can seem to find the chain that connects everything together –if there even_ is_ a chain to look for.

"…Well, it's not like it matters all that much to us, for now at least", Okita says casually.

"You didn't have to say it like that, but yes. This case is now under the jurisdiction of the South. And _we _still have to get our asses out of here by tomorrow", Hijikata adds. It's only now that I realize I've been sitting on my futon silently and dumbfounded by everything. After all that's happened, I get the feeling that the westerners' course of action has changed, and I'm part of that plan. Feeling the need to say something, I gather some air.

"Um… What about me?", I ask shyly.

"Well after tonight, we're dragging you out of this town with us. Come Hell or high water", Hijikata says with a cold steely edge. Not knowing what else to do, I nod my head and train my eyes on my hands. _At least they won't hurt me…_

"Don't worry, Chizuru-chan. We'll take care of everything. All you need to do is get some good night sleep for tomorrow. After all, we're gonna be traveling for a while as soon as we wake up", Nagakura says to me with contagious optimism.

"Right", I smile at him, and soon all of the men begin to depart from my room. Just as Okita is about to leave, Hijikata puts a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Souji, where do you think you're going?", the raven-haired man asks firmly to Okita.

"To my room. Where else?", Okita japes back.

"No. You're going to stay here", Hijikata snaps lowly. Both Okita and me give him puzzled expressions.

"Why? Is it really necessary to babysit someone who isn't guilty of murder?", Okita questions in a tone that has the slightest hint of annoyance to it.

"That's not why I want you here. Even if it's just for one night, we don't know if someone would try to attack her. She definitely won't be useful to us dead", Hijikata explains stoically.

"If you're so worried about her, then why don't _you_ stay here? It's not fair trying to pin this down on me", Okita retorts with a victorious smirk.

"I'm not the one who stuck up for her. Besides, I still want to get as much information as possible before we leave. I'll have Yamazaki and Shimada deal with the rest later when we get back", Hijikata stays composed. Too exasperated to argue any further, Okita rubs the side of his temple.

"You can be such an asshole, Hijikata-san…", Okita exhales deeply while thinning his lips. Now I feel like a pile of worthless driftwood that no one wants to keep. I sink my head down and pretend to not listen to the rest of their conversation. After Hijikata leaves, the atmosphere becomes thick and awkward- at least for me.

"Looks like I'll never get away from you", Okita says. I bite my lip nervously.

"…Sorry", is all I can manage to say. I lower myself on my futon and almost pull the covers over my head. Then I shift to my other side so I don't have to look at Okita. I figure that ignoring him and falling asleep is the best way to deal with this situation.

"…Aren't you going to scoot over?", I hear him ask with a playful tone that can only mean trouble for me.

"_What?!_ Why?!", I prepare to launch myself out of bed just incase Okita plans to share my futon. Slowly, I turn my head to see him covering his mouth in desperate attempt to contain his laughter. _I really need to stop falling for everything he says._

"…That was mean, Okita-san", I furrow my brows at him, but he gives me an unrepentant grin.

"Sorry, but you should know by now what it is you're dealing with whenever you're around me", he snickers, still doing his best to not bark out his laughter. To distract himself, he walks over to the closet and pulls out the extra futon and sets it beside mine. I'm just thankful he kept a good amount of distance between us.

I carefully eye Okita -without him noticing- as I try to figure out what he's thinking. He's a beguiling mix of generosity and mischief. One moment he's helping me, and the next he's ruthlessly teasing me –or worse, threatening to kill me. I just…can't understand him.

"Like what you see?", I suddenly realize that Okita is staring directly at me. His teasing, wry smile causes my whole face to heat up into a bright scarlet color.

"N-No-! I mean, not that you're foul or anything- U-Um…", I stop myself from embarrassing myself any further. My reaction only seems to amuse Okita even more.

"Really… Then why were you paying close attention to me?", the corners of his lips curl up.

"Well…", I don't know how to respond to that. If I told him what I was thinking about only moments ago, he would certainly tease me for it. We stare at each other in complete silence until I finally can't stand it anymore.

"Why did you defend me?", I blurt without stopping myself to think. _Why did I do that?_ From his futon, Okita curves a slender brow; he's obviously waiting for me to explain myself. Too late to back down now, I continue.

"It almost- no, it _does_ look like I'm involved with what's been happening recently. But you still think I'm innocent…why?", I say while propping myself up slightly with my arm. Okita looks at me blankly for a while. I have no idea what's on his mind, but I half-expect him to be irritated by my pretty-much-pointless question to him.

"…I'm just trying to figure out the truth; that's all. A good girl like you wouldn't be capable of murder, even if you've never liked that Kiyomi girl", he says blatantly. So he was only doing his job, of course. Still, I don't like the idea that he thinks he must know everything about me.

"…How would you know if I'm a 'good girl'?", I ask challengingly, but I immediately regret my question. A soft grin forms on Okita's face as he turns to his side to face me. I see a flicker of that same hot intensity in his eyes.

"Are you _trying _to get me to kill you?", he chuckles a little before he finally lets his head fall back on his pillow. His eyes focus on the ceiling, while his grin turns into one that lacks its usual mirth.

"You're a good girl because you haven't been forced to make decisions that could become a burden to you", his tone is…strange. It's the same tone he used when he was telling me he didn't like disrespectful people like Kiyomi. I want to ask him to clarify, but I remain silent and let him continue.

"…The South's nice. Folk around here only have to worry about maintaining their jobs and families. They're not like western or northern people that have to do a lot more than just lock their doors at night. We _are_ in a time of peace…but not everything is at good as it should be", his smile fades. His expression becomes emotionless and unrecognizable. I don't have any idea where the direction of the conversation is heading toward, but I hold my mouth in place so I don't interrupt Okita.

"Have to admit, these times are better than those 'Dark Ages' that everyone's so afraid of, but humans can still be cruel, even without war. You…you don't know what it's like to see the _really_ ugly side of people; after all, you rarely see it here. That's why you're innocent; you lack understanding of that filth so you can't even begin to comprehend and mold it into your own behavior", his words course through my mind endlessly.

I could've said that the "ugly side of people" was what I've seen within this past week. But how can I know all of the terror that lies in this massive world? What I've seen is probably something very common to a soldier like Okita. I guess that's why killing comes so easy to him. If the South –a place known for its tranquility- has recently become frightening, I can only imagine that the West must be several steps away from Hell. While I'm processing his words, I can't help but wonder what sort of…ugliness Okita has seen, and how it has affected him.

"…However, people can always change, and that includes you too. I wonder how the West will change you…", a ghost of a grin crosses his face briefly.

"You better stay good -as well as keeping your mouth shut- or else I might just have to kill you", I frown slightly at his comment, but his words linger on me like a dark omen for the future. Undoubtedly, the West has a strong chance of rewriting who I am. Even in just one week, I feel different. I'm no longer a protected child, but that means that I must find a way to protect myself before a negative change can eradicate my being. Though I'm frightened of what I may find in the West, I've already made up my mind. I'm going to find my father. That hasn't changed.

"Okita-san, I meant it when I said I wouldn't tell anyone about…well _everything_. So please, keep your end of that promise too", I remind him with a strong sense of unwavering determination. I rather take his earlier words as a helpful warning instead of a threat against me. This time Okita turns his head toward me. He stares at me for what seems like hours. I don't avert his gaze so that I can demonstrate how serious I am. His green eyes look deep into mine, as if they hope to find something inscribed within my own. After a moment, he finally sighs and smiles gently at me.

"…Of course", he laughs softly before he shuts his eyes. Figuring I should follow suit, I shift to my other side, and I wait for my tired eyes to close once again…

As soon as the first cracks of sunlight shine over the horizon, everyone gets up, eats a quick meal, and prepares to saddle their horses for the trip. Once I've put all of the tack on Chibi, I sigh when I take another glimpse of my clothes. Unfortunately, I'm dressed as a boy again. Hijikata had told me that a girl staying at their headquarters would cause an unnecessary ruckus within a compound full of male soldiers. Rumors would spread, and western civilians –even higher ups of the military- would start to berate the soldiers. So it's of outmost importance that I manage to fool everyone with my disguise. _But for how long do I have to keep dressing up as a boy?_

"You set?", Okita –in his western clothes again- walks with his horse toward me. I look up from my clothes and give him a small shrug.

"I think so", I say. Whether or not he takes my reply into consideration, he parks his horse next to Chibi and pulls out a sturdy rope from his saddlebag. He then stands next to Chibi and starts to tie the rope securely to my saddle. _What is he doing?_ Before I can ask, he then connects the other end of the long rope to his horse's saddle in a complex knot. His proud and amused eyes wander to mine.

"Just so you don't get any ideas about running away", he explains to me with his teasing smile.

"Oh…", I say softly. Though I haven't considered running away as an option, the westerners probably think that what I'll see in the West will probably be enough to make me reconsider those options of escape. _There's no point in running away anyway…_ Regardless, I'm still just a girl they hardly know, and I'm more than certain that they won't grant me the liberty to walk around wherever I want.

After several short minutes, everyone is ready, and before the streets start to get crowded with people, we depart to the West.

We arrive at a hill that overlooks the southern fields and my hometown. The rest of the horses continue to move, but my eyes can't look away from my southern home. In just one week, the South doesn't feel the same anymore. Once a safe haven, it's now an unknown cloud of mystery that hides lurking perils. But it's still home, no matter what happens to it.

_This is it…_ I'm finally leaving my home that I've never even dreamed I would ever leave. My chest constricts with nervousness and anxiety. A hole of sadness starts to expand in my heart, but I force myself to look away from the town. _I'll be back, but I need to find Father first. _I hang my head low and swallow down a sob. I can feel Okita's eyes on me, but he says nothing. He's probably giving me my space, or he doesn't really care about this unforgettable moment for me. _Why should I care what he thinks? _I try to convince myself to ignore him, but I can't shake away the strong feeling of curiosity… _Stop it. He's only concerned about me because it's his job, nothing more than that._ At last I sigh deeply and return my eyes on the new road…

I feel like I'm traveling to a completely different world. The South is full of woods, mountains, and fields. People are mostly laborers, working mainly agricultural jobs as well as lumber and the few positions as merchants or traders. We pass through what seem like endless fields of rice, wheat, sugar canes, and many more crops. However, as we transition into western territory, the changes become more noticeable. Forests become smaller and less dense. The number of towns increases, as well as their size. People abandon farmlands to move into industrial jobs. Culture is somewhat different as well. In the South, everyone likes to help each other out, always reaching peaceful compromises. Even strangers were courteous. But toward, the West, people protect their jobs even better than their own family members, and hostility toward strangers increases. After all, industry provides more profit, who wouldn't want to lose that reliable source of income? Family comes second, and strangers must not be aloud to become competition.

The strangers that we pass by eye us like we're dangerous animals. They only relax a little when they notice the western soldiers are just simply passing through, but they turn their hard glares to me as well. I do my best to ignore them, but it's hard not to react to them when it feels like one is walking into a lion's den.

"Pay them no mind. They're always like that", Okita says abruptly, as if he's reading my mind.

"Why are they like that?", I ask softly so the commoners don't overhear us.

"Probably 'cause they're afraid we'll bust them. People here like to cheat their way through business, which often involves breaking the law", he explains to me leisurely.

"How do you know they're guilty of breaking the law?", I ask. Sure, the people here look suspicious, but that shouldn't be enough to convict someone for a felony. I suddenly realize that I must seem foolish for asking these sorts of questions to a well-experienced soldier, but my interest in these new environments has peaked my curiosity enormously. Nonetheless, Okita doesn't call me out for it and continues.

"Well, whenever we catch their buddies red handed, they have to keep their guard up. Of course, they hold grudges against us for holding down their business"

"That's just…wrong. If they know they're doing something illegal, why would they hate you for trying to keep the peace?", I ask with a frown of disapproval on my face. Just what sort of world is this that causes people to break the law and still despise the consequences of their own ill-intended-actions? Okita merely laughs at my statement.

"Wow… I didn't expect you to rule with an iron fist. But to answer your question, these people just don't care. Money seems to overrule everyone's minds; they'll turn a cold shoulder to justice so long as they got enough to pay for women and drinks. They're never sorry for committing a crime, but rather getting caught", he says it so normally as if it's nothing new to him. I've known for the longest time that I was inexperienced with the ways of the world, but only until now do I realize that I've been so naïve. The revelation causes my fear to grow. I was nervous about this trip before, but now I'm just terrified. If it weren't for the rope binding me to Okita's steed, I would've commanded Chibi to gallop all the way back home.

…Two days of traveling pass, and finally we arrive to the center of the West; the capital called Onoria. From large forests and high mountains, the West is comprised of many coastal zones, wetlands, and small forests. According to what the others have told me about the West, the climate is almost unbearable during the summer, but the winters are harsh and unforgiving, especially areas near the northern rim of the West. Besides industry, the West is the center of all trade. Being in between the North and the South, the West is the midpoint where everything collides. Immigrants pour into this country annually, and all sorts of cultures become a melting pot of diversity. Most people have dependable jobs too, barely leaving enough people for poverty. From what I've heard, the West is the perfect place to live in.

But the prosperity that exists in the West is merely a façade.

All countries need a military structure, and it's the West that puts their men into action. As to what exactly these soldiers do on a day-to-day basis, that part is still unclear to me. It's also a mystery to me why the western military is still considered to be active if there are no wars to be fought. _Just what sorts of madness and mayhem does the West hold in store?_ But as soon as we enter the city of Onoria, I forget about all of my worries and fears that I had for the past two days.

The capital is magnificent.

Though it has adopted some architectural features from the South, it's beyond anything I've ever imagined. The streets become paved with intricate patterns of stone. Buildings reach up farther than two stories tall, and not all are made out of wood, but stone as well. The doors are different; instead of sliding open, they're either pulled or pushed. Each one is also decorated with a handle and an even smaller door near the top that is guarded with iron bars. Windows are made from glass, and some of them have shutters made from wood. Everything that I see makes the South look…rural.

They're still shrines every now and then, but there's a tall building made from the strongest of rocks that catches my eyes. It's different compared to all of the other houses and shops. This one almost looks like it's an elegant castle made for a god. Strange mythical creatures adorn the building's edges from high above, and the windows are taller and colorful; they even have images of people and symbolic animals portrayed as holy beings.

"That's what people around here call a church, or the 'House of the Unknown'. Pretty neat, huh?", Nagakura breaks my attention away from the majestic building.

"A church…for the Unknown… So is it like a shrine?", I ask in return.

"Kinda, but it's a little different. Instead of monks, you get guys that are called priests, and they hold a lot of worshiping ceremonies where anyone can walk in and be a part of too", Nagakura explains.

"Oh. Have you ever been to one of those ceremonies?", I say.

"A few times, but it gets boring sometimes. I'd just rather say a prayer and be done with it, but these priests get so in-depth. It's worse with their monotone voices; makes someone want to take nap", he yawns automatically, helping to prove his point. It takes a lot of self-control for me to stifle a giggle.

"You're the last person who should find mass boring, Shinpachi-san. Knowing you; you should be going to confession everyday instead of hitting up Keiko's almost every night with Sano-san", Okita jumps into our conversation. _Keiko's…?_

"I don't need to hear that from _you_! You might as well live in a church so you don't burn in Hell", Nagakura retorts with a snarl.

"If I'm already going to Hell, then what's the point? Might as well enjoy life until you die", Okita giggles a bit. Even though he's joking, I can't help but feel somewhat disturbed by his comment. In desperate attempt to avoid more dark humor, I speak up.

"What's Keiko's?", I ask curiously. Okita stares at me nonchalantly while Nagakura does his best to ignore me, but I can see a subtle shade of pink filling his cheeks. Okita must notice it as well because his lips curl up into one of his famous mischievous grins.

"C'mon, Shinpachi-san. Aren't you gonna answer her?", though he seems encouraging, I've been with him long enough to know that he's scheming something.

"I-It's just a place for guys to hang out. Yeah, that's it!", Nagakura says in desperate attempt to convince me, including himself.

"Oh, there's more to it than that", Okita jibes. Nagakura's eyes meet Okita's with a heated glare, and he opens his mouth to say something, but someone else interrupts him.

"Keiko's is a bar in Onoria's red-light district", Saito unexpectedly answers.

"The red-light district… That means…", I keep silent as soon as I figure out what Keiko's is. Almost every city has a red-light district. They're places where men, young and old, go to have fun. "Bars" doesn't even scratch the surface of what a red-light district has. I'm sure that besides the drinks, Keiko's must have a lot of beautiful women.

"Well, it's not like Shinpachi-san's a master with women anyway, especially when Sano-san and Hijikata-san tag along", Okita mentions that as if his purpose is to calm me down a little.

"Hey, Souji. Don't lump me together with either one of you", Hijikata growls.

"What happens when Hijikata-san and that other man go?", I go on to ask.

"Well Sano's a show-off, and ladies like a bastard like him. It's probably because he has a scar…women like men with scars…", Nagakura says under his breath. To me it seems like he's contemplating whether or not he should get a scar of his own.

"Sano-san isn't the only show-off, Shinpachi-san. Coming from you, that's hypocritical", Okita comments slyly before facing me again.

"Anyway, it's still a mystery to me as to why women are attracted to the asshole Oni Lieutenant who's selfish, grumpy, clumsy, does whatever he wants, writes terrible haiku-", if Okita continues, I suspect he would've never stopped, but with an irritated scowl, Hijikata intervenes.

"Shut up, you idiot! Or do you want me to begin listing reasons why people don't like you?", the angry man snaps back to his teasing comrade.

"Now, now. Don't be so insensitive. I have feelings too, you know?", Okita masks his witticism with an innocent grin.

"What 'feelings'?!", Hijikata asks disbelievingly.

"We have arrived", Saito cuts in, pulling everyone's attention. I'd been so distracted with Okita and Hijikata's banter that I didn't realize until now that our horses have stopped in front of two huge iron-bared gates that are as tall as a giraffe. A "wow" sound escapes my mouth as I literally strain my neck to look up at the gates. Besides the gates, the area inside is surrounded by a tall stone wall perimeter. Hijikata sends a signal to a foot soldier standing in front of the gate, and in response the gates open in unison.

Like a child opening a new present, I eagerly await to see what's being kept inside….

* * *

**I hope you have enjoyed this chapter! I'll go over it when I have time if there are any grammatical errors that I might have missed. Please leave a review for this chapter, it would really help me out a lot! I'll be out of town for a few days and I have boat-load of work to do, so the next chapter will probably be posted until next month. Aside from that, I've finally recovered files from my other story, so I will update it as soon as I can. As always, have an awesome day!**


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